FTaBV Omake
by Sylph Writer
Summary: Fairy Tales and Brave Vesperia extras!  The one shot stories and requests that aren't in the main story for one reason or another.
1. Omake 1: Two Trouble Magnets

Christmas Special Request: Bar Fight

Can occur at pretty much any point between arriving in Torim Harbor and Phaeroh's attack on Dahngrest. Most likely occurred in Dahngrest, maybe right after the infamous Prank in Arcturus Inn.

I don't know what the legal drinking age would be in Terca Lumireis, but for the fic's sake I'm lowering it. Besides, I don't think it would really be 21 there...

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Two Trouble Magnets

x x x

So I was in a situation I hadn't been expecting to deal with for another year or so.

Yuri took me out drinking.

He brought me because I was the only other person in the group legally old enough to drink. Apparently the legal age here was eighteen, and when I thought about it I wasn't too surprised. Not like there were any concerns about drunk driving here, and if people as young as Karol could risk their lives hunting monsters, why not let them drink a bit earlier?

Technically he could have brought Estelle, but we didn't even have to discuss why it would be a bad idea to bring the naïve princess to a bar.

So it was just Yuri and me sitting at the bar, Repede gnawing at something while he lay at the swordsman's feet. I wondered just what I was going to do. Peer pressure made me consider buying something to just nurse all night so I'd be left alone. I'm one of those rare people who wasn't interested in partying the moment she could drink legally. No running off to Canada for an early celebration, no getting it from an older friend, and no sneaking a taste of my parents' wine or Mike's Hard Lemonade.

I snorted. My parents raised such responsible children, my oldest brother didn't have any alcohol til Christmas Eve when he was twenty two. And that was just a sip of something my aunt had whipped up.

Well, I was a college student who'd ignored my peers before, no reason to let the new environment shake my resolve. Besides, if I got drunk who knew what would happen? With no prior experience I had no clue what kind of drunk I would turn out to be. Worst case scenario, a chatty one who couldn't keep secrets.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asked me. He'd already gotten Yuri's order while I'd been debating with myself.

"Something non-alcoholic," I said simply. That was met with raised eyebrows from both of them, but the bartender didn't comment. Moments later I was sipping at something fruity.

"That really all you're gonna have?" Yuri asked me.

I nodded aaand-yeah, I had an excuse. "I grew up with my uncle in the forest, remember? I haven't had many opportunities to drink before, and I'd hate to wake up early and travel with a hangover."

"Huh, so you can be sensible sometimes." As if to disprove his point I stuck my tongue out at him childishly before taking another sip.

Some time later I had finished my drink and gotten started on a second. The bartender had given me something different but still oddly fruity, I trusted it was still safe. I hadn't been paying attention to how much Yuri had been drinking, I'd been decidedly ignoring him since one of the waitresses started flirting shamelessly with him.

"Chick-magnet hair..." I muttered.

"You say something?" he glanced at me, missing the way the waitress was pouting at the lack of attention.

"Not a thing..." He shrugged and went back to completely not understanding the girl's hints about getting a room.

"I already have one." _Oh, Yuri, you and your obliviousness..._

"We can go there, if you like." Coy batting of eyelashes.

"But I'm already sharing it with someone." Blank look that doesn't get it. He flirts with Judith in the game, doesn't he? Maybe he was just pretending he didn't know what the girl wanted... _Yeah, cuz with Judith they both know it's just for fun..._

"You sharing it with _her?_"

"Leave me out of this, I'm just a drinking buddy tonight."

The girl eventually had to give up as the customers at the tables needed her attention. Though whenever she walked by or thought Yuri was looking she'd add an extra sway to her hips or a coquettish wink. The peace didn't last long, however. A middle aged man lurched over to slump next to Yuri and started to hit on him very loudly and obnoxiously.

"You've had too much to drink if you can't tell I'm a guy!"

"Yer notta guy! Tha' feller next to ya's the guy!" A finger jabbed forward to point at me, drawing listless patterns in the air as the man hiccuped.

"Ex_cuse_ me?" I could not, repeat, _could not_ comprehend. If _Yuri_ looked like a woman to the drunk, I could see that, but how did _I_ look like a man? "Just what about me makes you think that?"

"Ya don't got femernin charms!" He made a gesture that might have been the exaggerated outline of a voluptuous woman.

"_What_ charms?" I pointed to Yuri, "Can't you tell he has even less of those 'charms' than me?" Yuri looked like he couldn't decide if he should be amused by this exchange or offended. He was being called a woman after all, that had to hurt his pride.

"What're ya talkin' about, lad? Ya don't got charms!" He lurched again with a hand held out and, oh hell, and _tried to feel at my chest_. In my shock and _get away_ reflex, I jolted back in my seat and threw up one arm to knock his hands away. But I also fell off my stool onto the floor in the process. Yuri had grabbed the man anyway to keep him from feeling me up, but was openly laughing at me.

"Oh, quit it," I grumbled at him while the drunkard was carried back to the table he'd apparently been sitting at with his own companions. "This only happened because you're too popular!" Drat, I'd also knocked over my drink.

"Aw, don't be so hard on him, miss." A man with a neatly trimmed goatee drawled. "Here, a free round for both of you, to apologize for my friend's rudeness just now." He placed two drinks before Yuri and me. Still feeling embarrassed for the scene, I gulped it quickly without thinking to ask what it was. Then I spent a moment coughing.

"Woah, you okay?"

"Yeah, fine, jus' drank to fast an' it went down the wrong pipe..." Next sip I was more careful. _This tastes weird, but I've finished other drinks I didn't like before..._

"Your friend is a lively one, isn't she?" Goatee commented to Yuri.

"That's one way of putting it." _This doesn't taste so bad once you get used to it..._

The man stroked his goatee and looked at Yuri appraisingly. "Haven't I seen you somewhere...?"

"I don't remember meeting you or your friend before," Yuri dismissed him casually. He tasted the drink the man had given us and then frowned at his glass. "You didn't give her the same thing, did you?"

The man with the goatee..._Screw it, he's Goat man now. Goat for short_. Goat blinked at the change in topic. "Er, yes. Is that a problem?"

"I hope not." _Why is Yuri looking at me like that? It's like he thinks I'm a bomb about to blow..._ Though there was an odd buzzing feeling in the back of my head. Just my luck, noisy places sometimes give me headaches real fast...

"But as I was saying," Goat pressed his original topic again. "I'm certain I've seen you before. Perhaps you are well known in another area? With my occupation, I travel often you see, so I may have heard of you elsewhere."

"Sure Yuri's famous," my glass clinked loudly on the counter. "Lotsa people know 'im. An' he's got lotsa fans that follow 'im everywhere!" I paused for a moment until a brief lightheaded spell passed. "Freakin' annoyin' too, followin' us 'round. Yellin' 'Lowell!' everywhere."

"So your name is Yuri Lowell..." Goat smiled thinly._ Dude, goats are herbivores, don't smile like a carnivore! Wait, or are goats omnivores..._ "Ah, now I know where I've seen you before, there are wanted posters for you all over the major cities."

"So what if there are?" Yuri sounded casual and unconcerned, but I stared blankly at the hand that was gripping his sword. _Woah, even when he's unwinding in a bar he holds onto that thing? Wait, I don't think he was earlier..._

"I never said what line of work I was in, did I?" Goat looked very pleased with himself. "I work as a bounty hunter, and it appears I have luck on my side today. How else could I have stumbled across such a high bounty without even looking for it?"

While we'd been focusing on the talking Goat, some of his friends had come up behind us and grabbed me from behind. I was pulled off the bar stool and for a moment could only stand in someone's arms blinking stupidly. Then I made a face, "Eww, your breath stinks, I can smell it already..." I tried to pull away, but the bulky man was holding onto my arms tightly.

Yuri was scowling openly and Repede was up and growling dangerously. The rest of the bar was going quiet as everyone stopped to watch. Goat was giving the swordsman a smug look. "If you don't wish for your lady friend to be harmed, I suggest you come with us quietly, Mr. Lowell."

"Damn." The black haired man looked like he really wanted to hit something, but just clenched his fists at his sides.

"Nah, Yuri, I got this," I assured him. _Now then, turn arms like so, foot moves out to the side and the other'll sneak behind him..._ I followed my sliding foot and slipped through an opening I'd created under the man's arm. Conveniently, I was already in position to retaliate (just behind him and to the side), and before he even figured out how I'd gotten out of his grip I had him spread out across the floor.

I wobbled a bit though, and scowled at my sloppy finish. "Ah...almost fell down with 'im, that's no good..." The others stared at me in shock for a moment, so I took it upon myself to do something in their place. "_You_," I gave one of them a slight shove. Or I thought it was slight. I must have put more oomph into it than I thought because he staggered back and I almost fell onto my face. "You," I tried again, "aren't very nice people."

Well, they didn't like that very much. A bunch of them surged towards me all at once, and the rest all tried to overwhelm Yuri. He didn't draw his sword, instead smacking people with it while it was still sheathed. Mostly he just punched and threw people.

I had discovered I was having more trouble staying balanced on my feet than normal, which made my aikido a lot sloppier and not always as effective as I would have liked. So instead I spent more time slipping between people so that their wild swings hit each other instead. Lucky miscalculation on their part, they posed more available targets than little old me did so they were the ones who got hit.

Someone grabbed my coat by the collar, so I just slid out of it and kept one hand on a sleeve. Before he could drop the empty coat I gave the sleeve a practiced flick so that it arced through the air. The other end flew up and smacked him in the face. It took them awhile before someone managed to grab hold of it again and wrench it from my grip, during that time I danced around and flicked it at people like I'd learned to do with twisted towels (something my brothers taught me). Though accomplished little more than to annoy them.

One man wrapped his arms around me in a bear hug from behind and lifted me up off my feet. "Oooh, nice, not much I can do like this!" I complimented him. My legs swung up, _oh, whoops, didn't mean to kick that guy in the face_, and I felt him naturally adjust his balance. Quickly, I brought my legs back down, and _yay, just like in practice!_ my feet were on the ground again. _Step to the side again, other foot goes behind him, hip to his hip and _suh_-wing!_ I pivoted from my hip and he practically flew over backwards. _Love that one_.

Having figured out that attacks from behind _really_ weren't going to work, two tried to rush me from different angles at the same time. I skipped back away from them and started to lead them in a chase through the tables. "Can't catch me, I'mma gingerbread man!" I slipped on a puddle of beer on the ground. "Whoops! LIQUID, my mortal foe!"

They'd caught up to me, but before they actually caught me another man came sliding across a table and crashed into them. All three crashed into another table, knocking drinks and bystanders everywhere, and that was the trigger that brought in more brawlers who'd just been waiting for a good excuse. Those who hadn't, well, they just snagged a bottle of something and slipped over to the relative safety of the walls to watch the show.

With the renewed outbreak of chaos I considered it prudent to crawl under a nearby undisturbed table to recover my bearings. _Okay, so, I've gotta weird fuzzy feeling in my head, more fanboys want Yuri, and now we're all working together to piss off whoever owns this place. This is what my friends would qualify as a wild party, right? Oh look, here's my coat again..._ I looked around for Yuri and grinned when I saw him in the thick of one of the main concentrated areas of fighting. _Wow, it's like watching "First Strike"_ _again!_

The swordsman punched someone right in the face as I watched, and for the first time I noted Repede leaping around lower down. The dog warrior was fighting too, but instead of using his dagger he had what looked like a leg broken off a chair clamped in his teeth. Looked like it hurt whenever he whacked someone with that...

Someone grabbed my leg and pulled me back out from under my haven. "Woah!" Without thinking I flailed out with my other leg, heard someone curse colorfully when it connected, but didn't look back as I scrambled forward again on my hands and knees.

Right into someone else's legs. I looked up and saw it was the drunkard that had tried to touch my chest earlier, though he looked steadier on his feet than he had then. Angry about that all over again, I grabbed him by the right ankle and yanked hard.

With a cry he crashed down to the floor, taking out a few other guys like dominoes. Leaving me a clear view of Yuri's surprised expression as he blinked at me, fist still raised. I shifted from my knees onto my toes and continued the motion of standing up to launch myself onto someone's back. He staggered at the full force of my weight and I managed to topple him over backwards. This left the way to the door clear.

Rather than question a clear sign from a higher power, Yuri, Repede, and I all ran for the door. Last out the door, I spun nearly three-sixty degrees and cried out, "Elvis has left the building! As consolation, please help yourselves to the free cake!" Yuri grabbed my by the arm and dragged me off.

Not much later, he stood by as I hunched over a convenient bucket I found, heaving up those fruity drinks and some of my dinner.

"Okay, so next time we're gonna make sure no one gives you liquor."

"Shut up," I groaned. "Never speak of this night again, or I'll cut off your hair while you sleep!"

x x x

So? I'm not used to writing scenes like this. Drunken speech patterns are new to me and I avoid parties where people are likely to be drinking a lot.

And this reeeeally got a lot longer than I thought it would.


	2. Omake 2: ABCs

Christmas Special Request: Teaching Estelle the Earth writing system.

Probably takes place somewhere in the near future of the main fic's current place. Like, less then a week, first night they spend at an inn near future. May come back and tweak once I've actually reached that point in the main story.

More subdued writing than you're all used to from me. Definitely a lot shorter. Well, even Letha can't get into too much trouble just writing.

I discovered that HalcyonAdvent on deviantart had a key for the Vesperian alphabet up. So useful.

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FTaBV Omake: ABCs

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With Judith officially a member of our group and Brave Vesperia, Yuri decided that it would be a better idea to buy two rooms for us girls to share between us. He, Karol, and Repede stuck to their single shared room, and I wondered what they'd do once Raven finally settled in to stay with the group.

To my surprise, Estelle actually requested to share one of the rooms with me, leaving the other for the mage and the former Dragon Rider. Though it didn't take long for that little mystery to be solved.

"Letha, do you remember how you were practicing those ancient runes the other night?"

I blanked for a moment, "_Runes?" What is she...oooh, she means when I was writing in my journal, and claimed it was an ancient writing system!_ "Yeah, I remember." I smacked a palm to my forhead, "Oh! I promised to teach them to you, didn't I?"

"Yes, you said you would teach me when you visited the castle. But since we're continuing our journey together, I thought we might have time after all."

I chewed on my lip as I thought. _Man, too bad she didn't forget. But it really couldn't hurt, could it? It's not like she'll see this writing anywhere else, and as long as I don't leave my journal lying around..._ "Okay then, let's see if we can find some paper and something to write with."

In a few minutes I had her set up at the desk in the room's corner, a short stack of paper at hand and an extra nib pen just in case. I'd pulled the other chair up close so I could watch and correct her as we worked.

"Alright, we have twenty six letters and ten numbers." I drew out the entire Vesperia alphabet. When I'd first started puzzling it out, I'd been pleasantly surprised to discover that the basic letter designs were similar to a stylized version of the alphabet I'd grown up with. For example, the letter "D" really looked like a backwards lower case "d." "E" was "e" turned so that it was nearly upside down.

"First thing you need to know," I continued, "is that this writing system I'm teaching you has more than one way to write a single letter."

"Really?" she seemed puzzled but fascinated by the idea. "Why is that?"

"Well, the way you write the letter may affect the meaning of the word." I neatly wrote an upper case and lower case letter "A" next to the Vesperia equivalent. "This," I pointed to the "A," "is a capital letter, and this," I pointed to the "a," "is a lower case one. You use capitals for the first letter of the first word of every sentence." _Now that I think about it, writing on Earth is a much more complicated process than it is here._ "You also start proper names with capitals."

I continued down the alphabet list, making a chart for her. The lack of ink blotches made me feel quite proud of myself. Once I'd shown her each letter I passed her the pen and a clean sheet of paper. It was actually kind of cute to see the grown girl writing the letter "A" over and over again like a kindergardener. Though she took it more seriously and enjoyed it more than I think most kids would.

_I remember I was terrible at writing back then. It seriously wasn't until second grade that I finally learned to read. Ironic, since even back then I loved books and needed to be read to every night before bed._ Though once I finally learned my reading and spelling skills grew in leaps and bounds.

"Is this better?" Estelle held up the sheet for me to look at. It was covered in little "A"s and "a"s, like an army of invading ants. Alphabet ants. I nodded, "Loads better than some people's handwriting I've seen, you can try the next letter now."

She started sketching out a long line of "B"s as she asked me, "Other people? So you're not the only one who likes to write like this?"

_Whoops_, "Well, there might be a few others who know. I was referring to some handwritten journals that were in Sophia's collection. Terrible handwriting, gave up trying to read some of them. That part there needs to be a bit straighter..."

She tried to correct her overly curving "B"s. "That's too bad, they sound interesting. Maybe I can try to read them some time!"

_Ohhh boy, girl wants to read books that don't exist_. "Aaah, well, you'll have to practice some more first... And I haven't even shown you cursive yet!"

"'Cursive'? Does that have something to do with, well, the way you..." the pen paused as her question died off uncertainly. The way her words sometimes do when her princess' manners make her unsure whether it would be rude to say what's on her mind.

"The way I what?" I pressed. Estelle already had an inquisitive mind, encouraging her to pursue questions may be helpful for her to start thinking about the answers herself. Or did that not make as much sense as it did in my head?

"The way you curse a lot. I've never heard another woman talk like you before, I thought it might have to do with what you learned from your aunt's books."

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or groan. "Estelle. You've been in a castle for your whole life, where everyone, man or woman, is discouraged from swearing. It's not as unusual as you think. Also," and this was what made me want to laugh, "Yuri has a foul mouth too, when he feels like it, but can you picture him buried in books learning about ancient civilizations?"

Estelle started giggling at the mental image. I checked her progress, and saw that her "B"s were coming along nicely too. _Girl must have a good eye for detail, wonder if she'd be interested in learning to sketch..._

"Anyway, back on topic. I have no clue why they call it cursive, but it's used for more formal writing. Just like this it has both upper and lower cases. And..." I held my hand out for the pen, which Estelle gave back without a fuss, "it actually connects every letter in a word like _this_." I wrote out a sentence in cursive on another sheet of paper. _My name is Letha Vitae._

"Oh, wow, that looks really nice!" she marveled at the looping letters.

"It does, but it also tends to vary with each person. And sometimes it becomes completely illegible to anyone but the person who wrote it." I grimaced. My mother had an absolutely beautiful signature, but I doubted I'd be able to read it if I didn't already know her name. ...Drat. "Like so!" This time I wrote as quickly as I could, adding exaggerated loops and scrunching some letters so small in my haste you could hardly tell they were there. _She sells sea shells by the sea shore because she wants to save up and buy diamonds instead._

Estelle compared the two lines, and even if she couldn't read the letters yet I could tell she was starting to wonder if this would be as easy as she'd thought. "Maybe I'll wait before trying those journals..." _Yay! Successfully curbed her interest in dangerous topics! Wait, am I being a hypocrite?_

"Don't worry about it, we'll wait until you're comfortable with regular print before we try for cursive. Now the next letter is easy..."

x x x

This really might seem boring to some people, especially since the last omake was pretty full of action and humor. But these moments of calm and fluff are important too.


	3. Omake 3: Captain Chef

Christmas Special Request: Cooking Scene. _Flynn_ cooking scene...

...My mother did something cruel. Damn funny, but cruel. There was a toy spider at the bottom of my stocking. I pulled it out and dropped it in shock. Then I picked it up again and loosened the string wrapped around it (turned outs that was the draw string), and it_ began to move in my hand_. Of course I dropped it with another embarrassing little scream. And mom rushed over to apologize and make sure I didn't hyperventilate. She was still laughing.

Feel the familial love.

On with business...ohmigosh, it's not first person! This fic occurs near the beginning of chapter 25 of Fairy Tales and Brave Vesperia.

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FTaBV Omake: Captain Chef

x x x

Yuri stifled a yawn as he raised a hand to knock on Letha's door, Repede sitting down a few feet away. There wasn't really a need to wake the others up early, but he wanted to check and make sure she was alright. She _had_ been held captive out in the woods for three days, after all. Estelle and Rita had reported that she'd practically passed out again the moment she reached her bed.

There was no response to his knock, and he frowned. Was she still asleep? But the other times they'd stayed at inns she'd wake up when someone was at the door. It was the only easy way to wake her up, he'd discovered. Or certain high pitched noises, which would make her jolt as if something had shocked her before she'd get an embarrassed look.

"Oh, sir? Your companion woke up early." Yuri turned to see a maid with a basket of laundry was speaking to him. "She should still be in the bath right now."

"Thanks," she bowed her head slightly to him and continued with her work. The swordsman thought he saw a familiar green hood hanging over the side of the basket...

No longer feeling it was necessary to worry about the trouble attracting girl, he decided to check the kitchen to see if someone was making breakfast yet. Some of the staff members gave him wary looks, but mostly ignored him since he hadn't caused any new trouble the last few days. Though one or two had looked nervous when Letha arrived the night before.

He pushed open the kitchen door, noting that it already sounded like someone was busy inside, and stood in the doorway in stunned silence.

"...Flynn?" he finally managed to force out. Repede whimpered and drew his tail between his legs.

The rising young knight was indeed the one bustling about in the kitchen. Even while wearing his new Captain's uniform. Currently he had a large bowl in hand and was mixing some batter. Flynn looked up at the sound of his name. "Oh, Yuri. I thought you should be up soon."

"Flynn..." Yuri started slowly, "what are you doing here?" He found it odd that the Arcturus staff had left Flynn to his own devices even though he was one of the imperial knights so mistrusted by the guilds.

"I heard from one of my men that Miss Vitae was found yesterday. And that she'd been promised some of my cooking to help her recover her strength. Though I'm not sure why it had to be my own, but if I can be of service then I won't hesitate to help."

"Uh, that's great Flynn," Yuri just knew Letha was going to get him back for this if he didn't do something _fast_. Though eating Flynn's cooking would be punishment enough. "I'm sure she'll appreciate the thought. But you really shouldn't..."

"It's no trouble at all," the knight assured him with a smile. "And since I'm already here, it would be a waste to leave so soon."

"Right..." Yuri realized he wasn't going to win this time. He'd have to hope Flynn just stuck to the recipe and didn't try adding any extra touches...

"Hmm, she hasn't eaten properly for several days, so we should try to make sure the nutrition is more balanced..." Flynn murmured to himself and started pouring cereal into the batter. "You can wait out in the common room by the fire, Yuri. I have everything under control here."

The swordsman sighed as he closed the kitchen door. Letha wasn't going to forget this.

"Mornin' Yuri..." Karol yawned. "Is breakfast almost ready?"

"Uhh..." If he wasn't careful, it wouldn't just be the usual mischief maker who was out to get him.

"Good morning everyone," Estelle greeted them cheerily from the hallway, Rita stretching a bit behind her. Her short brown hair still looked rumpled a bit from sleep.

That was convenient, he could give everyone the bad news at the same time.

Nearly half an hour later, Flynn left saying he had to return to his duties as Captain. Though one of the maids had taken over for him, making sure the food stayed warm until the last member of the party showed up. Meaning there was no chance to sneak in and replace Flynn's cooking with something less chancy. She offered to bring some of the food out so they could get started.

"No, we'll wait for our friend first." Yuri couldn't resist saying, "This is for her, after all, she should be the first to try it." Karol and Rita blinked in surprise, then started grinning when they realized the swordsman wasn't planning on warning Letha about the food. Estelle shook her head but didn't say anything.

The older girl did deserve it, after all, for the time with the Cat pictures.

She came down the stairs not much later anyway, bare foot and hair still damp. Karol waved to get her attention, "Over here!"

"Morning," she sat down in the free chair at the table, and looked around at them curiously. Maybe she noticed something different in the air from the way the youngest three were anticipating their minor revenge. But she was distracted when the maid and another helper brought the food out.

Letha's eyes lit up at the sight of the pancakes, which on the surface looked wholly innocent and delicious, and quickly cut a piece off. The moment it was in her mouth her face completely soured, and she sat still for a moment without chewing. Finally she swallowed, looking as if she had to force it to go down, and eyed the rest of them.

"Who made these pancakes?"

"Flynn." Really, for anyone who had ever tried anything Flynn had cooked, that was all that needed to be said.

x x x

Stupid computer and stupid shoddy internet connection...this should have been up early in the afternoon, but I couldn't go online to post it...

Apologies to Moonshine's Guide, you probably meant for the request to show the whole process of Flynn cooking. But I copped out on that because I have no idea, or don't want to imagine, what he did to screw up breakfast that badly. So instead we have the fic centered around Yuri.

Yeah, I normally don't write in first person, but since I've only been working on FTaVB lately I'd gotten used to it. Had to avoid making a "you and the captain make it happen!" joke.


	4. Omake 4: Ame

Christmas Special Request: Inn Mini Cut Scene

I forgot to mention in the last omake, and I'm to lazy too edit it. This is the explanation (that Yuri didn't know) for why Letha is effected by high pitched noises:

The high-pitched noises thing is a conditioned response to Earth alarm clocks, and the dorm's FIRE ALARM. It's ALWAYS preceded by this high toned whine, and then the alarm blares. If Letha/I hear a similar noise, no matter where, it will strike terror and anger into her/my subconscious mind. And the overreaction leads to embarrassment.

...

For this request I was planning on concentrating on the other characters, particularly Judith, Karol, or Rita since they don't get enough attention from me yet. They will! They just haven't yet. Anyway, I was going to write about them but then this idea occurred to me. And it pretty much had to be done with Letha and Yuri.

I dunno when it happens. Some inn, anywhere, when it's raining. Probably after chapter 16, so the stuff Letha talks about doesn't come out of the blue.

Recommended music for this fic: "Rain" by SID. One of my favorite openings from the new Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood anime.

x x x

FTaVB Omake: Ame

x x x

I thought I had imagined the first flash of light, I usually do. And usually I look around to see if someone took a picture of something with a camera. Even though I knew there shouldn't be any flash cameras here, I still reflexively checked for one. Then came the low rumble that told me, _no, you weren't wrong. It's here!_

I drew a few startled looks as I abruptly stood up and walked out the inn's front door. There I just stood a little off to the side (where I wouldn't be underfoot) and patiently waited. Before long a few stray drops began to fall, as if the sky was only thinking about raining. Then a slightly heavier shower, and all at once it started to pour.

Lighting flashed, I could see it illuminating the shapes of the thunderheads. A loud crack was followed by a particularly deep rumble of thunder that felt like it shook the ground under the soles of my feet. My lips curled in an unconscious smile. Thunderstorms are the _best_.

Occasionally the wind would shift and catch the rain so that the overhang by the door didn't keep me very dry, but a little rain in the face doesn't bother me. As long as I'm not walking miles through it with wet socks, I love the rain.

"You're gonna get sick if you stay out here."

I didn't bother looking at Yuri, not wanting to miss anything. "A little rain has yet to make me sick. I go to sleep with wet hair all the time." Hate blow driers, just go straight to bed after I take a shower.

"The way you're acting would make someone think you'd never seen a storm before. Estelle's also worked up, saying how it's different from when she was in the castle."

I shrugged at him. "Well, in a castle it probably feels like it's not really affecting you. When you live in a house surrounded by trees that could be struck by lightning anytime, every storm is an exciting adventure." I may not have really grown up in Ludwig's cabin in the woods, but it was true my house had a _lot _of trees around it. Cleaning up after storms was a real chore.

A flash so close it nearly blinded me announced an earsplitting crack and following roar that shook the inn's windows. My eyes snapped back to the sky.

"You scared?"

I snorted, and told him, "Not at all. One of my earliest memories is of my brother..." trailing off, I glanced at him nervously. Yuri had caught the first real mention of my personal life from before I'd met Ludwig. In order to preserve the cover that I'd been separated from my real family at an early age for unknown reasons, I had tried to avoid telling him anything about it except in the most general terms. Now he was watching me with interest, waiting to see if I'd follow up or just leave it.

I sighed. Dropping the subject would be too obvious. "One of my earliest memories is of lying in bed scared of the thunder. I was sharing the room with my oldest brother, so he was the one who came to comfort me." I smiled at the vague memory. _I was so glad he didn't try the tired, "God's angels are bowling!" story. Even then I could tell that was a load of bull, and I still believed in Santa!_ "He pulled my blankets off my head and told me that I shouldn't be afraid of storms when they're so _cool_. And after that he would take me out on the porch with him to watch the lightning whenever there was a storm."

"That's all it took?" Yuri sounded surprised. Maybe he'd had to deal with children easily frightened by storms back in Zaphias. What was that kid's name from the start of the game? Ted? Maybe Ted had been a real scaredy cat.

"That's all it took," I confirmed. "I really loved and looked up to my older brothers..." But now I couldn't keep a frown from my face. There are a lot more stories I used to have about storms, really amazing events that I had even written fascinating papers about in school ("what I did over the summer" type of papers). But I couldn't remember them anymore...

"You'll find your home. You just have to keep looking." Yuri had noticed my change of attitude, but had misinterpreted my thoughts.

"Mmm," was all I responded with, not wanting to explain. Impulsively I stepped out from the overhang and tilted my head back to feel the rain on my face. The water felt cool on my skin, and trickled across my cheeks in steady streams. _That's right, it's just the rain. Nothing but the rain..._ Yuri stood by without speaking, providing silent companionship.

x x x

Again, this should have been up by the late afternoon. And again, I hate my computer and internet connection.

"Ame," for those who don't know, is a Japanese word meaning "rain." Unless I totally got that wrong, but I don't think I did. Anime does teach us some things! (...though knowing the Japanese language, there's probably half a dozen other things "ame" could mean that I don't know about.)

Not a goofy one, more like fluff. And then _angst_ and _drama_ at the end!


	5. Omake 5: Rita's Little Accident

Christmas Special Request: Bonding with Rita

Yes, there are more of these, and yes, they are still labeled for Christmas. Because the option to make a request was in the spirit of the holiday. Not that I won't take any more, but you'll have to catch my attention with a pretty interesting idea for an omake.

Occurs during chapter 25, while Letha is at her temporary job.

Angelic's request~ I started out with some vague idea of them talking research or something, but it took a sudden turn with an unexpected twist, so I ran with it! I think they bond better this way, so it's all good!

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Rita's Little Accident

x x x

Working in a clothing shop was a first for me, but what with the cosplay crazy store owner as my boss I don't think prior experience would have prepared me.

"For real? She seriously has a school girl sailor uniform?" I stared in disbelief at the clothes Jeanne had left on a hanger in the back room for me to change into. It looked like a more traditional style or whatever you want to call it, with a knee length skirt instead of the shorter ones you see in pretty much any manga with a modern setting.

"What the hell? This is all starting to feel like I've been cursed for developing an interest in anime back in high school. Now all I need is for Nevi to show up, give me some special item with a corny catchphrase triggered transformation, and send me off to fight invading space aliens or something." Despite my griping, I changed from the black witch costume into the uniform. All for the sake of gald in my pockets!

_Waaah, I have sold my dignity!_

Returning to the front of the store, I surveyed the aisles formed by the clothes racks to see if anyone new had come in while I was changing. There was a sweet looking elderly lady in the raw materials section, where some customers preferred to just buy the cloth and thread to make their own clothes. A trio of younger girls were giggling by the rack with the newest designs. A somewhat tired looking man was being pulled around by a girl about seven or eight years old. She was squealing with delight over the princess costume (which actually looked similar to the dress Estelle was wearing at the start of the game when her guards were chasing her around). Rita was standing in a corner of the room.

_Wait, Rita?_

Yes indeed, even after I did my double take it was Rita trying to retreat into the corner behind the mannequins, keeping her back to the wall. _What is she doing here? She doesn't look very happy about it..._ Indeed, she was glaring at the mannequins and customer as if each one had insulted her and her blastia research.

When she noticed me watching her, a blush was added to the glare.

"Rita, what are you doing over there?" At my question the red color of her face deepened. Trying not to meet my eyes, she mumbled something more in the direction of her chest. "Beg pardon? Didn't catch that?" I joined her over by the mannequins and leaned in to hear her better.

"...torn."

"Sorry, one more time?" _If looks could kill..._ Her blush matched the red of her shirt by now.

Her eyes darted around and she hissed, "The back of my shirt got torn!"

"Ahh," I understood immediately. And she was hiding here so no one could see the rip...it must be pretty bad. "And you still don't carry any spare clothes." Her head jerked in a nod. I considered saying something like, "you should have learned your lesson back in Heliord," but decided she was suffering enough at the moment. Later when she wasn't put on the spot I could tease her about it.

"Where's that old lady that owns this place? I wanted to get her to fix it quick."

"Jeanne stepped out for a bit, she had some business at Sagittarius to deal with." Had to wonder what business she could have at a tavern... Well, Rita looked horrified at my words.

"What? How long till she gets back?"

"She didn't say, but she left not that long ago so I don't think it'll be soon..." The mage groaned. "I can help though."

She perked up a bit, but looked skeptical. "Can you really?"

I gave her a level look. "Obviously you haven't noticed the increased number of seams in my own clothes, or you somehow thought they were appearing on their own."

"Shut up and help already!"

"Yes, yes, apologies to the customer..." I grabbed the first shirt that looked long enough to provide decent cover (pfft! Pink with a daisy on it! Maybe it was actually a kid's nightgown!) and pulled it over Rita's head before she protest. Her head popped out through the lace collar and she glared at me. Rather than complain she just pulled at it until it was hanging right and her arms were free.

No longer in danger of her mooning the unsuspecting customers, I led her over to the back room I'd been changing in. "Take off your shirt in there and give it to me, then you can either stay here or come back out if you want."

"Come out wearing _this_?" There was outrage in her voice as she evidently took her first good look at what I'd made her wear across the store.

"Well, you could also try one of those costumes Jeanne's been having me wear if you prefer."

The mage growled and opened the door a crack just long enough to thrust her wadded up shirt into my hands before slamming the door again. I smiled at the unintentional humor provided by her volatile temper as I shook out the shirt to assess the damage.

"What the-Rita, how the heck did _this_ happen?"

"Shut up already!" her shout was muffled by the door between us. "It's not important _how_ it happened! Can you fix it?"

"Well..." There were three separate tears, the longest reaching from the bottom hem up to the mid back and the shortest about half as long. "Yeah, I can fix it. It'll just take a little longer than I thought." _Seriously, I was just expecting one exposing rip, but this practically looks like someone tried to scratch her back with a pitchfork!_ "I'll get started right away."

Rita didn't say anything, so I shrugged and went to grab a sewing kit kept for making on the spot fitting adjustments. I dressed a smaller mannequin up in Rita's shirt and positioned myself where I could keep an eye on the store while I worked. I was busy pinning the tears together when she came out of the back room again, wearing the witch's robe from before.

She came over to stand by my side while I threaded a needle, but was unusually quiet. I was nearly half way through mending the longest rip when I heard her mumble, "Thanks."

I smiled to myself, not looking over at her in order to spare her some embarrassment. "Any time." Rita was spared from a prolonged moment of tender feelings (complete with shojou manga flowers, bubbles, and sparklies in the air! Gag!) when I had to put aside my needle to ring up the elderly woman's purchases and the sunny yellow dress the man bought for his daughter. She'd started wandering around the store on her own when I returned to work on her shirt.

The trio of girls left not much later, giggling something about bringing their boyfriends to buy some stuff for them, leaving the two of us alone in the store. Seeing the convenient opportunity, I called out, "So just how _did_ you tear up your clothes like this?"

"Ugh..." her head dropped down to rest on the rack she'd been looking through with rather bored expression. "Estelle took me to a book store, the kind that had one of those cafés attached. It didn't have any new books about blastia, so I thought I'd get something to eat while waiting and I..." _oh? Here it comes?_ "M-my shirt got caught on one of the shelves and tore..."

"Well, that sort of thing happens," I said carefully, trying not to sound like I was making a joke out of it, "But would it really tear it like this?"

"Well, no, I-I was trying to get out without anyone noticing. But some old guy came over to look at the same bookshelves, and while I was trying to back away it-" _hesitating again..._ "it got caught on the shelf and tore again!" she finished in a rush. _...Wow. Tearing your shirt twice on the same shelf?_

I considered letting it go, but my curiosity got the best of me. "...And the third tear?"

"Mmmph!" Startled by the weird squeak she made I looked up, and saw her blush had returned full force again. "Well, on the way over, I was trying to hold it closed in the back..."

"And?"

"And it...ripped again when someone bumped into me and I almost fell over." Ah, so, kneejerk reaction type of thing, she probably tried to catch herself while forgetting her hands were full, and ended up tearing her shirt herself. Though I had the feeling I was missing something...

_OH. Right, she was in the middle of the street. Oh dear, it's pretty likely someone saw that last fiasco_. Which would have pretty much shattered any dignity and pride she had left.

Trying for a quick change of topic, I asked, "Uhh, so! What about Estelle?"

"She'd already started reading something when I left."

"So it'll probably be awhile before she notices you're gone."

"Yeah..."

New train of conversation dead, there was a moment of drawn out awkward silence which I couldn't think of how to fill. Rita spoke up first. "You...won't tell anyone about this, right?"

"Not a word." I tied off the last knot and snipped the thread with a tiny pair of scissors. "Here you go! No one should notice unless they know to look for it, or stare really hard at it for some reason."

"Thanks..." she accepted her shirt with relief and ducked into the back room to change again. I couldn't help but grin to myself. _Well well, I get to see the tomboyish genius' cute side for once! Maybe we'll get along better now?_

_...She'll probably roast me if I do tell anyone about this_.

x x x

Heheheh...Here we have a fun, kinda cute fic with a side of Rita I haven't had much chance to write before. _Maybe_ I made her a little too talkative about something she found embarrassing, but I think she would have told the story if she was trying to act tough and pretend she didn't think it was a big deal. Though she clearly did a bad job covering that up, and probably realized it.

Letha has a secret she'll carry to the grave now.


	6. Omake 6: Good Deed

Christmas Special Request: Bonding with Repede

Rhino600's request!

Another one that happens during chapter 25, just after Letha finishes working but before she returns to the inn.

I'm glad you liked the last one, Angelic. Heheh, maybe the case of blackmail you suspect to be inevitable from Letha should be a future omake.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Good Deed

x x x

"Woof!"

"Don't ask me, you're the one with a superior sense of smell."

I'd been searching the streets of Dahngrest with Repede for the last hour. There was a bit of a story behind this, but not a long one.

When I'd gotten out of work, I decided to do some shopping and make sure I was prepared for the resumption of plot whenever it got around to happening. Then sitting on the doorstep of the first shop I wanted to stop by was a little kid in patched up overalls, bawling his eyes out. Repede was nosing at him, whining a little when his attempts at comfort actually made the boy cry even harder.

"Woah, what's up here?" I sat down in the dirt next to Repede to put myself on eye level with the kid.

Repede whined at me a bit and his tail thumped on the ground, perhaps meaning something along the lines of, "Oh thank God someone who speaks human's here."

While he didn't entirely stop crying, the boy at least restrained himself to just sniffle and hiccup a bit as he told me, "Skip's run away!"

"Skip?"

"My-my doggie!" the boy sobbed. "They don't let pets inside, so I left 'im out here, an' now 'e's _gone!_" He broke out in a fresh wave of tears. _Oh, beautiful. I don't know what to do with crying children_.

Repede, though, gave a short bark and nosed the boy's hands.

"Hmm, I betcha Repede's telling you to cheer up, and that everything is going to be alright."

The tears died down to sniffles again, "It-it will?"

"Yeah, Repede and I will find Skip for you, right Repede?"

"Woof!" The canine barked as if to say, "Of course, what else did you think I meant?" _ Just checking_.

"Thank you!"

So we got a description of Skip, a small brown puppy with a red handkerchief around his neck, and a piece of rope he liked to chew on. Repede took a good sniff of the chew toy and was off tracking the scent trail. I lingered long enough to buy the kid a piece of candy (it seemed similar to a jaw breaker) to occupy himself with while he waited for us.

Repede waited impatiently for me in the middle of the street, then resumed tracking the wayward puppy. Which brought us to our predicament in the middle of an alleyway, where he'd apparently lost the trail.

We looked around the alleyway for any sign of Skip, and I wondered what could have shaken off Repede. Other than some cans stuffed with garbage, rags, some burlap bags of...something that smelled unpleasant (I couldn't tell without opening them, and I wasn't about to go through trash in the streets), and a stack of boards that looked like they'd been knocked over, there wasn't anything around.

"Well, I guess I'll have to ask around to see if anyone's seen Skip, and you keep trying to find the scent trail again..."

"Woof..." Repede acknowledged me as he put his nose back to work.

I knocked on the doors of the houses around the alleyway. No one answered at one, and the people in the others hadn't noticed a brown puppy at all. When I was about to leave the last house, a tug on my green coat made me look down. There was a little girl in a puffy white dress, clutching a doll with a baby bonnet in one arm while pulling on my coat with the other.

"Miss, I know where the doggie is!"

Kneeling down again (_aagh, my knees already hurt from standing around a store all day!_), "You've seen him?"

She shook her head, blonde pigtails swinging. "Nuh uh. But I've been hearing a doggie crying from outside my window!" _Oh dear_.

With permission from her mother, the little girl took me up to her room and showed me the window in question. Swinging the shutters open, I looked out and down. "Yo, Repede!" The dog warrior looked up and barked at me from the alley. "Still no luck?" Another bark.

I looked around. "So where's Skip the puppy gotten off too..." Listening for it, I could hear a faint whimpering. I leaned out the window, and finally spotted what could best be described as Vesperia's version of a chocolate lab puppy huddled on a ledge that ran around the building about two feet below the window. Or it would go around the building if age and weathering hadn't made part of it crumble away, just behind where the puppy was sitting. "What the heck? How'd you get up there?" _We're on the second floor!_

Apparently realizing someone had finally noticed his plight, Skip looked up at me with giant brown eyes and whined piteously. He was not within easy reach of the window, instead about ten feet away. _...Great, now I have to play fireman_. The ledge was maybe half a foot wide (at most), so if I went slow it should work out okay... I dropped my bag to the floor by the window.

"Ah! What are you doing?" At the little girl's cry the mother came into the room. She found me with one leg in and one already out of the window.

"That's dangerous!"

"It's alright, I'll be right back." With that I had both feet on the ledge, and gripped the sill tightly while I found my balance. Cautiously, I shuffled my feet along the ledge and slowly made my way over (back pressed flat to the wall) to the shivering puppy. _Ohhh, thank God these boots have good traction...!_

I'd gotten more than halfway so it would be pointless to give up and turn back. Of course, that's when if finally occurred to me that I should have borrowed some mattresses or something else soft to put in the alley in case I fell. Great idea if only I'd had it five minutes earlier.

"Come on, Skip! Good boy..." Only a few feet away, I carefully bent my knees and lowered myself (keeping my back straaaaight!) and reached out a tentative hand to the puppy. He sniffed carefully at my fingers, then licked them with a pink tongue. I sighed in relief, since that was a good sign he wouldn't try to run away if I got closer.

Slooowly, so I wouldn't lose my balance or frighten the puppy, I stood up again. Slooowly inched across the last bit of distance between us. Leaned down again, and scooped up the puppy around the stomach, quickly drawing him back to cradle against my chest with one arm. "Whoo, thank goodness you're lighter than my cats. I don't know what I would do if you were as heavy as Monk the glutton."

But then Skip started to squirm a little bit. While trying not to drop him I lost balance for a moment and one foot slipped off the edge. "Shi-!" I barely managed to keep myself from falling off completely, pressing myself against the wall and gasping at the sudden rush of adrenaline bursting through me.

I could hear the clattering of something hitting the alley street below and Repede barking. Swallowing, I looked down and saw that about a yard's worth of the ledge I'd just come across had broken off and fallen. "Ahh, that's kinda scary..." It wasn't likely that falling from the second story could kill me, but a bad landing would probably break something.

Lucky or not, I was stranded on the side of a building.

"Uhh, Repede? Anything you can do?"

"Woof! Woof!" I looked down, and saw him dragging the burlap bags of...something over from the other side of the alley. Once he'd moved them all just under my position, he stepped back and looked back up at me. "Woof!"

"Yeah...thanks." Holding the puppy close, and fortunately he wasn't fighting my grip at all anymore, I turned around so that I was facing the wall. I grabbed the ledge with my free hand and climbed down over the side so that I was hanging of the edge, feet braced against the wall. "Alley oop~!" I let go.

_Crunch_

No, that was not my bones breaking. It was the sound the burlap bags made when I landed on them. I landed feet first, bending my knees to absorb the shock, and then falling back onto my rear. The bags crackled with each movement. One hadn't been tied shut properly and some of its contents spilled out. They were filled with crumpled up papers and oil paint stained clothes. _Well that explains the smell. Must be turpentine or something._

Once the mother brought my bag back out we returned to the shop where the boy was waiting. About halfway back, the puppy got over his scare and wriggled out of my hands again. While I chased the mini labrador futilely down a side street, Repede headed him off easily in a few bounds. I caught up to them and Skip was dangling by the scruff of his neck from the larger dog's mouth. Repede snorted at me and led the way again, holding onto the puppy himself.

"Well sorry, but it's like they melt out of your hands at that age!" Another snort, and this time Repede's tail wagged too. "Yeah yeah, I'm just a clumsy human... I would have liked to see _you_ try and crawl out on that ledge he was hiding on!" His ears laid back against his head and he whined a bit around his mouthful of squirming puppy.

Repede dropped the puppy back onto the ground when we were within sight of the boy, still sitting on the shop step hugging his knees close. Seeing him, Skip started yapping his head off and ran to the boy, stumbling over his own paws in his hurry. The boy looked up and squealed in delight, and both obviously forgot about Repede and me, the boy laughing while the puppy licked his face.

"Well, we're no longer needed."

Repede gave a quiet "woof" and started walking off in the direction of the inn. When I didn't follow he stopped and looked over his shoulder at me questioningly.

"No, I still have some stuff to do. You go back first." Not one to mince words (...barks...you know what I mean!), Repede easily accepted that and left. "Now then, let's finally actually go _in_ the store and buy some gels." _Hopefully there won't be another kid inside crying about a kitten that's stuck up a tree somewhere_.

x x x

So, yeah. How's this? Several people noted how in chapter 26 there was a brief friendly moment between Repede and Letha. That was a nod to this omake, which I was trying to plan.

I was wavering between it being the second floor and the third. If it were the third I'd explain her not being harmed by the drop as a result of having a bhodi blastia, but she'd probably have actually thought through the whole climbing out the window thing a bit more carefully. So I'll put it up this way, and each to his own!


	7. Omake 7: Talk With a Sleep Walker

Christmas Special Request: Yuri overhearing Letha singing, Ragou related talk

So here we have a little something that happens after the first paragraph of chapter 25, which Letha forgets by paragraph two. Yeah.

I do think I could write this better, but I couldn't think of how to do that without making it more vital to plot developments than I wanted it to be.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Talk With a Sleep Walker

x x x

_Thhiiirsty. If I were a vampire I'd jump the first warmblooded mammal I found..._ I rolled myself out of bed, landing on the floor with a muted thump. Wobbling up to my feet, I crept out into the hallway in search of a tap of clean running water. My eyes remained half lidded, my brain only switched on the minimal required systems for functioning, and I avoided any brightly lit areas that might accidentally wake me up for real.

The inn's kitchen was deserted and dark. My bare feet barely made a whisper of sound as I roamed in search of a sink. Once I found it- _praaaise the blastia enabled indoor plumbing! Or however they get it, could be the imps in a closet for all I care... -_Once I found it I just turned on the tap and caught some of the water in my hand. Raising my hand to my lips I slurped at it.

_Not enough_. Caught more in my hand and slurped it. _Blooood sucking noises. Still not enough._

I bent my head at an angle so I could drink directly from the falling stream of water. Finally I had my fill and switched off the water. Now I shuffled back towards the hallways, meaning to find my own bed and collapse into it again. Problem was, even though my dark adjusted eyes could see quite well, I wasn't sure which door was the one I wanted.

I tried one door knob, but no good. It was locked.

A small voice in my head suggested it would not be advisable to try each door until I found an unlocked one. _Okay, nagging voice._ Instead I found myself drawn to the window at the end of the hall.

Staring out the window, _where is this...?_ The buildings around were lit only by a soft glow from above, and the occasional lamp lit window. _It feeeels...it feels like the view from my window in winter. Yeeeah, like when the hill and trees are covered in new snow, and even when there a full moon, everything is lit up and beautiful... And you see the cemetery and lights from the houses on the other side..._

I slowly lowered myself so that I knelt by the window, body pressed against the wall as my folded arms cushioned my head on the sill. My eyes slipped fully closed. Yeah, I could see it in my mind. _Branches covered in a new snow fall, glowing white like coral... The trees and the creek look so black...skeletal frames waiting for leaves to be added..._

In my mind's eye, the black and white skeletal shapes of trees in a winter night morphed into a pile of bleached white bones on a black stone floor. My eyes snapped open again. _Damn it. Damn it! One of my most beautiful memories, one of my most favorite things..._

"Dammit Ragou..." I hissed. Awful as the days I'd been held captive by the Red-Eyes were, the horror of that single night in Ragou's basement was far worse. More sickening, leaving invisible marks on the soul. It had been overshadowed soon after by my first time killing another human while fighting the Blood Alliance, but I harbored no grudge against that nameless person. Had even begun to make peace with myself for that, though I'd always regret having killed him.

But Ragou... Futile as it was to hate a dead man, Ragou would be a black stain on my soul for a long time.

x x x

The slight rattling of the doorknob came just before Yuri had completely fallen asleep. Repede raised his head to look at the door, but since the dog didn't start growling the swordsman decided it wasn't worth getting worked up over.

Again, he'd nearly fallen asleep when a quiet sound from the hallway caught his attention. It was a low murmur, like someone was talking, but the cadence was wrong for a conversation. And there was only one voice. Repede still didn't seem threatened, but he whined and looked up at the swordsman.

Yuri sighed as he got out of bed, catching up his sword in one hand. Even when sleeping his weapon was always nearby, one of the few habits he'd kept from his time as a knight. Ready for a fight at a moment's notice. Though he didn't think there'd be one tonight.

The door swung open with a slight creak and the voice became clearer. Now he could recognize that it was a familiar one, singing low and quavering on each drawn out note.

"_Os iusti meditabitur sapientiam"_

The words were strange, and the first thing that came to mind was that prayer in a dead language Letha had told him about.

"_et lingua eius loquetur indicium."_

Looking up and down the hallway, it took a moment for him to realize the dark shape under the window was Letha herself. She was wearing only her black shirt and leggings, making her a dark silhouette with pale face and hands.

"_Beatus vir qui suffert tentationem_

_quoniam cum probates fuerit_

_accipient coronam vitae."_

Listening quietly from the doorway, Yuri noted that this wasn't the same song she'd reluctantly confided to him. He didn't have an ear for music, but this just sounded different.

"_Kyrie,_

_Ignis Divine, eleison."_

Letha shifted a bit, Yuri could see she'd taken the fingerless gloves off. The mark on her left hand seemed to catch the light from the barrier and glimmer a bit.

"_Oh quam sancta,_

_quam serena,_

_Quam benigma,_

_quam amoena_

_oh castitatis lilium."_

"More mysterious songs?" he asked when the silence stretched out longer than a natural musical pause. Normally she would have jumped a bit, and gotten embarrassed that he'd caught her singing again. But she only turned to look at him, her expression hidden in the shadows.

"An ironic song," Letha said. "About the wise, and the just, and the reward for the man who can endure and resist temptation." The slight laugh she gave was bitter, and her dark eyes turned back to the window. "Ironic... Elfen Lied was a story about people going mad and senselessly hurting each other. Killing each other."

Yuri looked back into the room at Repede. The dog yawned and dropped his head back onto his paws, not interested in anything but sleep. "Sounds like a wild story." He closed the door so Karol wouldn't wake up.

"I won't tell you guys this one. It would be too much..." Letha shook her head, but gave no sign of noticing him approaching her. "People are the real monsters..."

"Is that so." Yuri was pretty much convinced that the trouble magnet girl wasn't fully awake, and probably still odd in the head from her recent hardships. Odder, at least. It would probably be best to get her back to bed, and have Estelle look at her if she was still acting funny in the morning.

"Ragou was a monster."

That made him stop short. He hadn't expected Letha to bring up the magistrate, but it wouldn't have been unusual for her to have heard about him going "missing" from one of the others.

What was strange was that she'd used the past tense, as is she already knew Ragou was truthfully dead.

_How could she know?_ "'Was' a monster?" he prompted.

No response.

Yuri tried again, "He still is, isn't he?"

He was nearly convinced she'd fallen asleep on the window sill when she finally answered. "He will be for as long as people remember him, and for as long as people are still being hurt by the choices he made." She spoke slowly, sounding as if she were putting great thought into each word. Yuri started walking towards her again, until he was standing next to her and helping her back to her feet.

"Nothing we can do about it right now. You should get back to sleep."

Letha didn't object to be directed back towards the door of her private room, but stopped with her hand on the doorknob. For a moment it seemed like she wanted to say something more, than shook her head and let herself in while muttering, "Damn gremlins..."

Yuri couldn't help but stare at the closed door after that last out of the blue comment. "Well, that was different." As he returned to his own room, careful not to disturb Karol, he couldn't help but wonder what gremlins had to do with Ragou being dead. Probably just another case of Letha's inexplicable strangeness.

By dawn he had nearly dismissed it, not forgotten but not likely anything more than half asleep rambling. For Letha the entire exchange was forgotten before she even woke up.

x x x

Yes, that was "Lilium" from the anime Elfen Lied.

The gremlins comment is because it actually does follow her train of thought, even if Yuri didn't realize it. Going through Letha's mind is the half remembered line, "Monster's aren't real. But there are people who are monsters," which is _seriously_ not the best thing to say to your child after she was mentally scarred by the movie _Gremlins_.

Ahh, so, yeah. AccessBlade _really_ wanted something to happen with the whole Yuri kills Ragou and then zomigosh, Letha knows he did it! But I have no immediate plans for that (I do have plans, but for later on) so here we have a scene of it happening in a way where Yuri might attribute it to coincidence and paranoia on his part. Biggest effect this has on the overall plot of the main fic: Yuri must acknowledge that figuring Letha out is complicated by a need to separate the mysterious from the just plain weird.


	8. Omake 8: Sushi

This one wasn't requested by anyone, it's just something I considered putting into chapter thirty but decided would be better to just save for a one shot. There will probably be more, and potential for people to make requests, because a lot of stuff and bonding (or blowing your top off at other people) is bound to happen when you have a dozen people stuck together on a boat for a week. Stuff that has little to no importance to the main story.

But yeah, this one is just for giggles.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Sushi

x x x

"Whatcha doing, Ace?"

"Hey Letha, want to fish with me?" Karol smiled back over his shoulder at me, but remained seated on the ship's railing. His pole was a long flexible piece of wood with a line going through a few eyelets and wrapped around a rather crude looking reel by his hands. The other end was trailing behind the ship. I wasn't sure if there was a best place to fish on a ship, but would there be any fish in our wake to actually bite?

Well I'm fishing ignorant, so I just shook my head. "No thanks, even if I managed to catch something I wouldn't know what to do with it."

"What to do with it?" Karol looked at me in confusion. "You cook it and eat it of course!"

"Ugh...!" I looked away and resisted the impulse to clamp a hand over my mouth.

"Oh yeah," he was apologetic, "I forgot you don't like fish." He started reluctantly to pull his line back in.

I rested a hand on his to keep him from reeling it in anymore, "Don't worry about it, just because I don't like fish doesn't mean you guys can't have it."

"But-"

"It's not like the smell of it being cooked or seeing other people eating it will make me sick. It's only when I try to eat any myself that I start getting nauseous." I shrugged, "And I can easily find something else to eat."

"If you're sure..." Karol tried to sound like he was letting me talk him into it, but I could see the excited spark returning to his eye.

"Yep. Just be careful you don't get dragged in if something big-" just before I could finish the thought the line snapped tight and Karol was yanked from his perch on the railing into the water. "WOAH! Karol!"

x x x

"I can't believe you guys are eating the _mermen_."

"Why not? Fresh food isn't easy to come by in the middle of the ocean. And if we just dump all the bodies into the water at once something bigger and nastier will probably show up."

"Yeah, but any fresher and you'd guys would be eating living fishies..."

"Hey, it's not like we're making you eat any of it."

"Yes, you're right, I'll just shut my mouth before one of you decides to put a fish in it." I leaned back against the wall, gnawing a bite off of a piece of dried and salted meat. It tasted terrible, but at least it wouldn't make me sick. Everyone else, including Repede, was feasting on the sudden abundance of sushi we had. The sailors looked totally accustomed to the meal, Kaufman and her crony (I still hadn't picked up his name) made do, and my group ranged from practical to nonchalant to absolutely enthusiastic about the menu.

Washing my jerky down with a swallow of water, a mischievous tickle in my mind made me speak up again. "Hey, have you guys ever heard about mermaids?"

"Mermaids? Don't you mean the mermen?" Kaufman asked.

"No, I mean mermaids. They're very similar to mermen, but a bit different."

"How's that?"

"Mermaids are fish from the waist down and," I grinned in Raven's direction, "beautiful women from the waist up. Usually topless too. Occasionally a beached sailor would claim a beautiful lady saved him from drowning."

"Sounds like my type of monster!" he declared with a laugh.

"Don't be so quick to say that," I warned. "Mermaids are tricky things, and are known for using enchantments to confuse and lead sailors astray so they drown when their ships crash and flounder." Well, that's more like a description of a Siren, but the two myths are fairly closely intertwined.

"That...might not be worth it," the archer said thoughtfully. "Then again..."

"And there are additional legends about the effects from eating a mermaid's flesh." I stopped there for dramatic effect, and there was a moment of silence before they burst with shocked exclamations and protests.

"_'Ea-eating'_ them? But you said they look like people!" Karol's voice cut through the rest of the jumble more clearly. Yuri was looking at me with narrowed eyes, probably realizing I was trying to mess with them all again. Judith quirked an eyebrow up, showing nothing besides quiet interest in my story. Kaufman's mouth was a thin line, and she didn't look all that amused.

"Well, yeah, I think it sounds nasty too." I shrugged, "But according to the stories the mermaids were hunted nearly to extinction for their flesh. Because," I leaned forward and spoke in a secretive whisper, "eating the flesh of a mermaid is supposed to grant you immortality." I drew the last word out dramatically, tapping a finger on my knee to give each syllable an underscored emphasis.

Like I'd expected, after they all stared at me with wide eyes for a moment, their gazes dropped to the mermen sushi in their hands. Kaufman, by the way, had lost the disapproving look in favor of one more calculating. I could just imagine her wondering how much to charge for authentic mermaid flesh.

"But," I snapped my fingers to recapture their attention, "if the other stories are true than the immortality might not be worth it."

"Other stories?" asked Yuri, sensing I was waiting for a prompt.

"Yeah, supposedly if you become immortal that way, you'll also be cursed by the mermaid for the rest of eternity." I smiled slightly as Karol and Rita dropped their pieces of fish. Biggs and Wedge looked at each other, shrugged, and took simultaneous large bites out of their meals. Everyone else either looked at their food in dawning horror, or at me with wry expressions of "are you satisfied yet?"

"Well, I'm going to turn in for the night!" I announced while pushing myself off from the wall. "Have a nice dinner everyone."

x x x

That was not very nice at all. But I couldn't drop the idea and wrote it out in about an hour or two. Letha has such a mean, prankish streak!

For the first half, just assume either Biggs or Yuri had to jump in and rescue Karol.

If it turns out there are monsters in ToV more like traditional mermaids then those shark like mermen, I don't care. This was just for laughs, and I didn't feel like nitpicking at the finer details forever.


	9. Omake 9: The Beat of Wings

Valentine's Day Special

Oh ho ho ho! This one is set over twenty years ago! *Smirk* I bet you all can guess what that means.

On another note: I _EFFING_ HATE MY LAP TOP! It's like the sole purpose of its existence is to piss me off!

x x x

FTaBV Omake: The Beat of Wings

x x x

_**'In Aspio there is a researcher by the name of S. Althea who requests an escort to the Quoi Woods'**_

With such vague terms it was no wonder none of the other guardian guilds had stepped forward to accept the request. If that wasn't bad enough, no one was willing to set foot into the supposedly cursed woods. The few bodyguards for hire that might have considered accepting lost interest at the low reward being offered on completion.

In the end his boss Mikael had 'suggested' Ludwig take the job himself, with that smile that said to those who knew him, "Just take that damn sword you're so proud of and get out of our hair already!" As one of the guild's best fighters, Ludwig had been growing restless thanks to the lack of high difficulty work. And taking a lower level job just to kill time seemed unfair to the beginners still struggling to make names for themselves.

But those ambitious younger members practically threw him and his jian sword on the boat to take him across the sea. Apparently Mikael wasn't the only one fed up with Ludwig loafing around guild headquarters and giving swordsmanship to practically everyone. Devon, Mikael's brother, had snapped at him once for describing different stances with the dao for the third time just the other day.

Sighing, Ludwig stuffed the the brief instructions back into the envelope Mikael had shoved into his hand literally seconds before he'd found himself being swept up the gangplank by sailors impatient to be out to sea at once. Another slip of paper fell out and fluttered to the deck like a wounded bird. Bending over to scoop it up he immediately recognized the familiar scrawl.

_**'Hey Luddie! Be sure to find yourself a good woman this time!'**_

"Very funny, Arcas," he grumbled while crumpling the paper in a fist. "But shouldn't you find a girl yourself before sticking your nose into someone else's love life?" With a soft snort for his old friend's antics, Ludwig lay back on the sun warmed wood of the deck to doze.

x x x

"Just where is this Althea hiding?"

Ludwig had been sent on a wild goose chase all over Aspio since his first steps through the main gate. Several other researchers recognized him from previous jobs, and the friendliest of them tore their noses out of their books just long enough to point him in the direction of the client's house. But the door was locked and there weren't any lights in the windows. When he'd knocked on the neighbor's door, he heard that Althea hadn't even come home in the last two days.

Since then he'd been following the directions of more people than he could count who recalled seeing Althea in passing. From shop, to shop, to the library, to another shop where he'd apparently been just a few minutes too late, and finally he was back in the library again. And still couldn't find Althea anywhere.

With an exasperated sigh he leaned back heavily against a bookshelf, causing it to rock slightly despite the heavy weight of the books it was loaded with.

"_Waugh!_" Startled by the cry from above his head, Ludwig looked up just in time to see something large and yellow falling on him. He grunted in pain as he was knocked down and his head banged sharply against the shelf behind him.

"Owww..." The yellow thing shifted its weight, so the swordsman was able to sit upright properly. He discovered that a young woman was sitting in his lap, hand covering her eyes and shaking her head slightly as if to dislodge the disorientation from the fall.

She wore a pale yellow dress embroidered with a pattern of white feathers. Her brown hair was long and gathered back into a braid, though many wisps had escaped and curled around her neck and back. He'd just noticed a clip shaped like a pair of spread wings keeping her bangs from getting into her face when her hand finally dropped and she looked up into his eyes.

Her eyes were bright green, and unlike nearly everyone else who lived in Aspio she immediately gave him her full attention.

"I'm so sorry! The shelf just suddenly moved under my foot when I was about to climb back down, and I just couldn't help slipping!"

"Er-no, I should be the one apologizing, it was my fault you fell..." Ludwig's words trailed off as something about the situation finally registered. "Wait, do you mean you were _climbing_ the _bookshelves?_" He looked around as he questioned her incredulously, but didn't see any of the ladders kept for reaching the highest shelves nearby.

She giggled a little bashfully. "Ah, yes, well sometimes when I get caught up in my research I just don't want to waste a single second to learn more. I've actually gotten really good at climbing the shelves, and can reach any book much faster than if I used a ladder." Realizing she was still sitting on a complete stranger, the young woman scrambled back to her feet and helped Ludwig stand.

"Thank you," out of habit he briefly checked to make sure none of his gear was damaged before returning his attention to the young woman. "May I ask, have you seen someone named Althea recently?"

"Not since the last time I passed by a mirror," she smiled, her green eyes half closed in an oddly cat like expression. "I'm Althea. Sophia Althea. And you are?"

He was sure his expression betrayed his surprise as he looked her over again. _This is the person I've been chasing all over Aspio? _"Ludwig Vitae. I was sent to be your bodyguard in the Quoi Woods."

"Oh, wonderful!" Sophia clapped her hands. "I was starting to think I couldn't possible wait any longer, and would just go by myself!"

"Just what could be so interesting there?" the swordsman wondered. "I've only ever heard stories that the woods were cursed."

"But that's just what makes it interesting!" she beamed at him. "What if the curse is caused by a buried blastia? There could be undiscovered ruins in there, and everyone just missing them because they're afraid of some silly curse or ghosts or whatnot. If it is there, just imagine all the new blastia we could find, and what we might learn about why they were buried in the first place!"

"Hold on for a moment," Ludwig broke into her rant before she could get enough momentum to launch a full lecture. "This sounds like a hypothetical argument. Do you have any proof that these ruins might exist?"

"That's why I need to go look," she told him as if it were the most obvious thing. "If everyone else has been too frightened to look properly, then even the most obvious proof may have been overlooked. I, for one, intend to thoroughly comb over every inch of those woods before calling it quits!"

Seeing the determined fire in her eyes, Ludwig did not doubt for a minute that she would do just that. _This is beginning to sound like a much longer assignment than any of us thought..._ But even if he turned her down, at this point she was perfectly ready to go by herself. And there was no way he could show his face back at The Protectors headquarters if he'd just abandoned a normal person to the mercy of the wilds.

"I think we'll need to purchase more supplies than I brought with me," he sighed.

"Not too much more," he looked at Sophia questioningly. She smiled and pointed out a pair of travelers bags over in the corner. "I've been putting together everything we'll need since this morning, so as long as you don't have anything to add that I've missed, we're good to go."

A quick inventory of the bags impressed him greatly. Gels, panacea bottles, nonperishable foods that required little in the way of cooking, a water proof tarp, canteens, matches and flint... She'd clearly put a lot of thought into what would be necessary for a prolonged trip in the wilderness.

Within the hour the pair were leaving through Aspio's gates, Sophia skipping along ahead in her eagerness to reach her goal. Watching her yellow skirts twirling around as she bounced along, Ludwig had to smile at the image of a chick hopping around while trying to flap its small wings.

_If she's a bird, then I suppose earlier in the library that was her falling out of her nest. Now it's my job to make sure none of the predators snap up this little chick before she learns to flap her wings properly._ Something told him that he wouldn't mind this job at all.

x x x

And I have a big grin on my face now.

No one requested this, it was just a whim of mine. Maybe I'll post more about these two, but that'll depend on how much people like this omake and if the urge to write about the lovebirds hits me again. But I thought their meeting would be a nice little treat for Valentine's.


	10. Omake 10: Safety In Numbers

Atherum without Letha - not a request

Because I'm sure some of you are wondering how the others do without Letha around to scare them/hold their hands while exploring the creepy ghost ship.

Well, you can read this between chapters 31 and 32. I suppose technically it starts just before the end of 31, but it won't make much of a difference as long as you've reached the part where Letha goes off on her own again. Before anyone points it out or complains, I'm pretending that there is another door off camera in one of these rooms...explanation for this in chapter 32's author's note. Wait for that, m'kay?

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Safety In Numbers

x x x

"Alright, we'll see ya back on the ship," the unkempt man spoke loudly to be sure his voice would carry through the wooden door.

At his side a younger boy who'd been shifting his weight from foot to foot in unease added, "Be careful going back, okay?" Behind the two males was a girl in red, trying to look impatient and bored while standing with her arms crossed, but coming off as vulnerable and defensive instead.

The voice that answered their concern was muffled and sounded calm, but the three of them knew the speaker well enough to catch a hint of anxiety hidden under it, "Yeah, I will." There were one or two creaking footsteps and then nothing from the other side of the door. She never did make much sound when she walked, which together with her weirdly macabre tastes made her fit into the abandoned ship's atmosphere all too well.

Still, the sudden lack of her presence made the ominous air of the ship press in all the more around the trio. At least she'd been another warm living body and friendly face. Unlike the skeletons they'd had the misfortune of running into earlier.

"G-guess we should get back ta lookin' for the others," the older man gulped.

"Y-yeah, you can lead," the girl ducked behind him.

"Why me? If anything, the kid should lead!"

"Wh-what?" the boy's eyes widened in unconcealed fear. "But you're older, Raven! You should be the responsible one!"

"Yer the guild boss! Ya need ta take responsibility fer yer members!" the man shot back.

"Ooh, I don't care who goes first, just go already!" the girl snapped, landing a blow on the boy's head since it was easier to reach than the archer's.

"Ow! Why'd you do that, Rita?" Despite his protests the boy took the lead while holding up a spiked mace the size of his head in his shaking hands. Rita and Raven fell into step behind him, eyes darting whenever they heard so much as a creak of the wood. There'd been no warning when the skeletons had come out, Letha's reflexes when shutting the door in one's face the only reason they'd had any time to prepare for the first encounter.

The hall of mirrors they were in didn't have anything in it, certainly nowhere any skeletons could be hiding. There weren't even holes in the floor for them to crawl up through again. Though Raven wasn't especially reassured by that. When Letha had checked the last room and declared it empty, he'd also taken a peek and confirmed it. But then their bony attackers had still come pouring out of that room moments later.

Moving skeletons, empty rooms suddenly full of enemies, doors closing and locking on their own... No doubt about it, there was something seriously wrong with this ship.

The trio stopped at the next door, and in unspoken agreement Karol and Rita stood back, mace and scroll at the ready, while Raven used his longer reach to open the door and quickly jump back out of the way.

With a slight thump, the door hit the wall and bounced off a bit before stopping. There was nothing waiting on the other side. Cautiously Karol poked his head through, mace still at the ready. Still there was nothing, just a room with a stairway and more mirrors. All three of them, remembering how the last door had slammed shut during the few extra seconds Letha had taken, crowded through all at once.

They eyed the stairs and the other two doors in the room suspiciously, and at just that moment the door on the wall to their left, opposite the wall with the mirrors, swung open. For a moment none of them remembered how to breathe, and then a familiar figure in black stepped through. Close behind him was a blue hound and two graceful women.

"...Thank goodness..." Karol sighed as all of the tension flew out of him. "You're okay." Yuri was here, so everything would be okay again. Yuri could handle anything.

"Hey hey, you decided to come along for the ride, too?" the swordsman grinned carelessly, as if it was all nothing more than one of those pleasure cruises the nobility liked to host sometimes.

"Are you kidding?" Rita snapped, though her voice was a bit to high to sound truly angry. It sounded more like when she was trying to play tough, Yuri thought. "How can you act as if nothing's wrong?"

"Well it's hard to get excited when nothing happens," Judith said reasonably. "It's a shame, I had hoped we'd at least find a ghost or two."

"'Nothin' happens'?" Raven caught, and stared at the krytian as if he thought she was pulling their legs. "Judith darlin', don't tell me those skeletons were 'nothin'' to y'all!" Sure, he knew they were all formidable fighters and the princess had some impressive magic, but fighting an opponent who was already dead was no easy feat.

"'Skeletons'? You guys were attacked by skeletons?" Rita bristled at the swordsman's tone. Was he playing along with Judith for one of those stupid pranks again?

"Of course we fought skeletons! They were all over! You must have seen them too!"

"Rita..." Estelle said softly, trying to calm the short tempered mage. For anyone else it would have been futile, but Rita took a shuddering breath to steady herself and listen. "We haven't seen any monsters at all."

"What? But-but...!"

Repede gave a bark, and they all looked up just in time as the door Karol's group had used slammed shut on its own.

"Woah! How'd that happen?" Yuri walked over to tried the knob, but it refused to turn and the door rattled uselessly in its frame.

"Y-you gotta be kidding me!" Rita's voice was weak, as if her brave mask had worn thin and she was on the verge of breaking out into tears.

"Not again," Karol groaned, hanging his head hopelessly.

Judith looked at her boss, "You mean this happened before?"

"Yeah, and Letha got separated from us last time."

"What?" Estelle gasped. "You mean she's all alone? Somewhere on this ship?"

"Nah, she said it would be a bad idea ta keep splittin' up the groups so she'd head back first." Raven cocked his head to the side thoughtfully. "She's probably already back with Kaufman."

Yuri nodded, "She can take care of herself for that long. Right now we should worry about ourselves, and how we're going to get out of here." He rapped a knuckle on the door that had shut on its own. "Neither of the ways we came are any good anymore."

Estelle clasped her arms and shivered. "This ship's evil spirits are surely at the bottom of the ship, plotting to make us one of them..."

The scaredy cat trio did not like that theory.

"D-don't make up stories like that!"

"N-no way that's p-possible."

"C-c'mon Estelle, Letha was bad enough, don't you start making things up too!"

Yuri rolled his eyes a bit. He should have known... "We'll just have to look for another way out."

"Right on. Let's go!" Full of energy now that she had proof of something unusual on the previously boring ship, Judith happily led the way up the groaning stairs. The rest had to hurry not to be left behind; the guild boss, archer, and mage all scrambling not to be the last in line. Sighing, Yuri took the position of rear guard on himself.

Though when he thought about it, being right behind them gave him the perfect opportunity to have some fun of his own. He supposed he couldn't really blame the trouble maker this time for getting the first shot at scaring them.

* * *

Bwahaha!

Right, I was going strong for chapter 32, then hit a bit of a snag at a...certain point. While trying to settle on the best way to do it, I wrote this as a way to keep writing and maintain the mood. And my only problem with it is that Raven comes off a little too scared. Yeah, the ship spooked him, but once the group is all together and everyone's safe he starts playing pranks on Rita. I'm a little disappointed I didn't work that in at all. Oh well.


	11. Omake 11: Cause for Concern

Between the Fights, Eavesdropping

-not post this I should not post this I should not post this I should not post this I should not-

Dammit, I'm posting this, aren't I?

This omake occurs just before chapter 36. I wrote it to help psych me up for the first scene, but was really trying hard to hold off posting it until the chapter was done and up. I compromised, split the omake into two parts (long omake, especially the next part!) and will hold off on the second part until the actual chapter is up.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Cause for Concern

x x x

As Yuri had predicted, the fight against Johann de Marc hardly posed any challenge at all. More like, none whatsoever. But at least he had something interesting to look forward to for the next fight, regardless of whether Letha won or lost. He felt a bit guilty for thinking in such a way, but the prospect of fighting her uncle himself was appealing. Especially after her glowing praise of his skills, which, even taken with a grain of salt to account for hero worship, promised something worthwhile. The fight he'd witnessed earlier had ended too soon for him to really get a feel for the man's level, and that in itself spoke volumes.

The additional escorts that had been assigned to Yuri were annoyingly persistent, but he'd still managed to elude them. The key was in that little window of time after his own fight and before they'd properly 'met up' with him in the corridors to herd him back to the waiting room. Avoid that meeting, and they were left to run all over trying to find where he was hiding.

_Though when they can narrow it down to places where you can see inside the arena, it gets a lot harder to pull off,_ Yuri thought ruefully as he was forced to abandon yet another concealed vantage point that turned out to be known to his pursuers.

He ducked into an alcove when the sound of heavy feet came bouncing from around a corner. Fortunately, the pair ran past without more than a cursory glance at his hiding place, his dark clothes and hair helping to conceal him from the less than adequate surveillance. If they hadn't been in so much of a hurry, they might have seen a paler flash of skin. Lucky him, for once.

Yuri waited for the tramp of feet to fade enough for comfort before he decided to make a break for the next spot he had in mind, but drew back into the shadows when a new set of footsteps echoed off the walls. They were slower, more measured. Probably not one of the people looking for him, but it still wouldn't hurt to wait for them to pass.

He frowned, though, when one moment there was only the one person, but the next the sounds of another joined in. Where had the second person come from, and how had they approached so silently? One set of footsteps faltered, he was unsure which, and then both stopped.

"You're not about to back out now, are you?" came a voice, someone he hadn't heard before. The voice was male and carried a certain melodic quality that was spoiled by the sense of arrogance it held.

The other voice was familiar, one he'd heard very recently. "I do not break contracts. As long as you're true to your end, I'll do my job," Letha's uncle responded with a grim voice that brooked no argument.

"Our sentiments are the same. But I find it doubtful that you harbor no regrets over certain aspects. You are fond of the girl." _Who are they talking about? Letha?_ Suddenly Yuri found himself wishing he'd pressed a bit harder to find out why she'd been uncomfortable talking about her family. Something had seemed off during the meeting earlier, and even more so after her reaction, but he was starting to suspect it was more serious than a case of adoption.

"As I have already said. My honor won't allow for anything less," Ludwig growled, sounding as if he found the stranger's tone as disagreeable as Yuri did. "And there's no guarantee it will go that far. Especially if you keep those 'others' you mentioned at bay."

"And I shall. But we have a lot riding on this endeavor. I'm sure you can see the need to verify that you can, in fact, kill her if it becomes necessary." _What?_ "While an imperfect method, this should test your resolve."

Moving slowly so as not to invite attention to himself, Yuri pressed himself flat against the wall and moved closer to the edge of the alcove, trying to get a look at whoever was talking with Ludwig.

"I will not stay any longer. Such densely populated areas are uncomfortable for even short periods of times. But I will know the results," the stranger's voice warned. Yuri looked around the corner just then, fearful that the stranger who had calmly ordered his friend's death would leave without giving him a clear view of his face.

But the corridor was empty save for Ludwig. _That's impossible. I didn't even hear him leave!_

A shuddering breath drew the swordsman's attention from his disbelief to consider the older man. He stood alone, head bowed and fists shaking at his sides. "Sophia...just what did you let yourself get drawn into?" the veteran said aloud, his voice pained, "What have you gotten us into?"

Ludwig shook his head, and resumed walking down the corridor to the arena entrance, steps resolute and gaze unwavering as he looked only ahead. He never noticed Yuri watching him from the shadows, mouth pressed thin as he regarded the guild veteran with suspicious eyes.

x x x

...Now how evil am I?


	12. Omake 12: A Requirement for Truth

This omake occurs during chapter 36. DO NOT READ until you have finished reading chapter 36. Or else Ludwig will appear out of nowhere to give you some smacks upside the skull. You don't think he'd do it? Think again...

Again, this omake really feels too important to just be in the omake section, but I can not bring myself to put it in the main fic since it's not from Letha's point of view. But I am trying to write the main fic so it isn't absolutely vital to have read these omakes. They're here just so you guys can appreciate the scene fully, when Letha can never do any more than see it from afar and maybe hear about it sooner or later.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: A Requirement For Truth

x x x

"_Well I know you of all people can't be scared of a fight, so what's up with you?"_

"_Hmm, just have a few...questions I'd like to ask your uncle..."_

"_Questions?"  
_

"_Yeah, like how someone even more proper than Flynn could have raised such a wild black widow." That wisecrack earned him a jab in the shoulder._

"_Ha ha, hurry up and get your butt kicked by my uncle." Yuri flipped his fingers in a mockery of a salute followed by a wave as he strolled out to confront Ludwig. _

He had questions alright. This match would be the perfect opportunity to get the answers, by force if necessary.

Waiting patiently for him was Letha's uncle. He appeared to be in a meditative state, but looked up when the announcer over dramatized Yuri's entrance. Again.

"Letha's friend," he commented. "I thought it was likely I'd face you next."

"Really," Yuri casually rested his katana over his shoulder, head angled to the side a bit as he considered the old man. "I was hoping I'd have a chance to fight you myself."

Ludwig regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "You did not believe my niece would win?"

"She's the one who wasn't crazy about taking you on, saying she was 'guaranteed to lose'." Yuri shrugged a bit, sword glinting as it rose and fell with the motion. "Went into that last fight with an even bigger handicap than she needed."

Ludwig sighed, "And she was hesitant for much of the fight. She has a strong will to live, yet a weak resolve to harm others..."

"She's done well enough so far," the black haired man felt obligated to say, "Letha's held her own against everything thrown at her so far, and anything she isn't strong enough to fight she has us to help her with." _Even you, if you think we'll let you hurt her. Brave Vesperia looks after its own_.

"Good friends indeed..." Ludwig drew his jian, and Yuri noted it still had a few red stains on the blade. Letha's blood.

"_I'm sure you can see the need to verify that you can, in fact, kill her if it becomes necessary."_

It looked like he could.

The confirmation angered Yuri. Letha had always spoken with respect and affection for her uncle, and in return...

"Have at thee, then, and let us see how capable of helping my niece you are!" Ludwig's sword cut towards him, to meet Yuri's in the air. The blades sang against each other, and again. The intensity of the clashes rapidly increased to the level where sparks flew off the metal.

"You keep up quite well," Ludwig observed.

"I'm quick on my feet," Yuri grunted a bit as the jian smashed against as his blade. "Comes from being on the run all the time!" Privately he thought the more astonishing fact was how Ludwig seemed barely _winded_ by the pace. _What would he have been like twenty years ago?_

"Am I supposed to make some objection to your associating with my niece?" The veteran's mouth twisted in a grin. "As I have already said, I'll have to trust in her judgment on the matter."

"Hmph. I've always been the type to make my own judgments about people." Yuri drew back and low, ducking under a riposte from the older man's sword, and dragged his own across the ground and up in a blow that threw up sparks and golden light from the aer he'd channeled through the blade. It wasn't quite as strong as when that stranger used the arte the night before, but it was only his first time trying it.

Ludwig grimaced, but still managed to defend against the arte. Still, it broke the established rhythm of the fight, which Yuri took advantage of by executing a string of artes.

"Severing Fang!"

"Crushing Eagle!"

"Shining Dragon Swarm!"

From what he'd seen when Letha fought, the best strategy was to keep trying something new. The more often Ludwig saw a particular move, the more prepared he was to block and counter it. For a last and particularly unexpected move he used Fang Strike, his sword efficiently blocked but keeping the jian occupied as his fist impacted with Ludwig's chest.

Not as hard as he'd thought it would, though, as at the last moment Ludwig drew back to soften and better absorb the blow. They broke away and eyed each other, the elder coughing and wheezing a bit. "Unlike my niece, you're not even attempting to pull your punches."

Yuri shook his hand out, wincing a little at the slight rawness of scraped knuckles. "Yeah, well, your niece didn't hear the same things I did."

Ludwig stilled, his face an unreadable mask. "And just what have you heard?"

"Some talk just now about a job you may or not be getting cold feet over." His voice was natural, casual, but the accusation was there. Ludwig would feel the sharpness of his glare more than the cold steel of a sword could ever cut him.

"Is that so," he sighed.

When nothing more was forthcoming, Yuri growled in frustration, "Just what the hell are you two hiding? I'm starting to get really sick of all these excuses and fake stories."

"Fake stories..." eyes drifted close, and when they opened seemed more tired than anything else. "How about this? Defeat me, and I shall tell you what I know to be true. But-" Ludwig's sword swished through the air and pointed to a point between Yuri's eyes. "Know that, most probably, the only one who can tell you the whole story is Letha. How you can win her trust, even I do not know."

"What?" Surely her _uncle_ of all people should know what was going on. But from what he was saying Letha didn't even fully confide in him! Before Yuri could get an explanation for that confusing revelation, the jian leaped towards him. He guarded just a fraction before it cut through his throat, seeing a few long, black hairs sheared off in the clash drift away.

The intensity of the fight was upped again. But Ludwig was showing signs of wearing down, stamina drained by two consecutive fights. Finally, in a burst of energy he must have dredged up from reserves, he disarmed the younger swordsman but simultaneously lost his grip on his own sword, both blades flung away. Momentarily he was at a loss, but Yuri didn't even pause as he barreled in shoulder first and an aer charged attack that resembled a wolf. "Lone Wolf Charge!" Without his sword, the move was reduced from fatal to devastating against an unarmed, off balance opponent.

The older man was knocked back and stayed down.

"And Ludwig Vitae is down! Is this the end of the seasoned warrior's run?"

"There..." Yuri gasped, "So now are you...gonna tell me what's up?"

Ludwig rose up onto one knee, head hung so that his face was hidden. "Not enough." He stood and looked Yuri straight in the eye. "Grow more, boy. More than just strength is needed to protect your friends. Learn what that is for yourself." Ludwig gave a nod to the announcer, and then started to walk away.

"Well what do you know! It seems Ludwig has admitted defeat at the hands of the next generation!"

"Wait a minute, if I won, you're supposed to talk!"

Ludwig paused only for a moment. "You didn't win though. Ask Letha, she can tell you why," he chuckled.

Yuri scowled, "Damn it, you're both real pains to get any answers out of."

"Frustrating, aren't we?" Ludwig bent to scoop up his jian and return it to his sheath. He stood silently for a time before offering, "I will tell you this much, for the fight. Letha is not of my blood."

"She already told me that much. That you found and took her in when she was a child."

"Did she now?" Ludwig's voice had a distant quality, surprised and considering. "Well then I'll tell you this instead. When I adopted her, it was not so long ago as you believe."

Yuri scowled at his back, "That isn't much better. What I _want_ to know is why you have to kill her?"

The black and white haired head shook, but Ludwig still did not look back at him. "I do not have to, though circumstances may change. I pray that they will not."

"That doesn't answer why! What circumstances are you talking about?" But Ludwig had resumed his march, not entirely successful at concealing a slight limp, out of the arena. And Yuri had to allow his escort to usher him back inside to rest up in that waiting room so he could fight the champion in top form.

Letha wasn't there, so for the time being he would have to put a leash on his frustrated need for answers. But as soon as he got a chance...

"_The only one who can tell you the whole story is Letha. How you can win her trust, even I do not know."_

x x x

Poor Yuri has so much on his plate. New guild, princess with issues both relating to her empire and talking monsters trying to kill her, mysterious krytian woman riding a dragon and blowing things up, sketchy old man, and LETHA'S ENTIRE EXISTANCE. Amazing he doesn't just go "Eff it all!" and leave them to figure out their own problems. But loyalty to the people he calls "friends" is one of his most defining characteristics.


	13. Omake 13: What's in the Bag?

Heheh, back to the sillier stuff...

Occurs pretty much anywhere on the road between leaving Dahngrest after Phaeroh's attack and arriving in Nordopolica. Got the idea from a formspring question and response. Then wrote the entire thing during work. It is the shortest thing I've written for FTaBV.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: What's in the Bag?

x x x

"Hey, Captain, what are you up to?"

"Waaah!" Karol jumped at the sudden realization that his sneaky movements had not gone unobserved. Yuri noted the dark shape the boy tried to to hide behind his back. "Y-Yuri! What are you still doing up?"

"Just keeping an eye on things." Even if it was dark, the low burning fire provided enough light to see the guilty way Karol was fidgeting. The boy wouldn't meet his eyes either. "...So what were you doing with Letha's bag?"

Sheepishly, Karol gave up trying to hide the satchel. It was like his own, but smaller and lacking a bodhi blastia. The ends of the broken strap had been knotted together ever since that time a monster had snapped it and tried to run off with it. Letha had been livid until Repede brought it back.

That Karol had it was a surprise. Normally she kept it near at hand, and even used it as a pillow at night.

"Uh, you see, well..." feet scuffed at the ground, "I'm kind of running out of gels, and when I saw her bag..."

Ah, Yuri got it. For once, Letha hadn't used her bag to sleep, or maybe she rolled off of it. And since it had been hours since their last fight, it was highly unlikely that Karol needed a gel for medical reasons. "Karol, you really shouldn't be snacking on those." A sarcastic little voice in the back of his mind snidely reminded the swordsman that he used to do the same. Until he got sick of them, after having eaten so many.

"I'll-I'll only have one more, I swear! Just please don't tell anyone..." His pleading eyes were truly pitiful, like Repede's when he was still a puppy and begging at the mess hall table.

"Fine," Yuri sighed, hoping a few more years would make the boy's puppy eyes easier to resist as well. "But it's on your head if Letha finds out you were going through her stuff."

"You think she'll be mad?" For a moment it looked like Karol would put the bag back. But the temptation won out in the end as he started rummaging through it.

"She'll probably forgive you if you pay her back," Yuri rationalized. Even though she guarded her bag jealously, Letha tended to share everything in it rather freely.

Karol gave a soft noise of excitement as he pulled out a small cloth pouch. Loosening the draw string holding it closed he poured out some of the contents into his hand. "Huh? These aren't gels!"

Yuri leaned over to get a closer look. It appeared the bag had been filled entirely with bite size pieces of caramel and the hard candies that you could suck on for hours. They were popular among the lower quarter children for being cheap and kept near the door in most shops.

"Looks like someone has a secret sweet tooth," Yuri said with a chuckle. Then he reached out and plucked one of the caramels from Karol's palm.

"Hey!"

"What? She'll never notice just one missing." He popped the candy into his mouth. "And as long as you don't tell, I won't mention that you took two orange gels just now."

x x x

Oh Yuri... She knows anyway. After all, he probably took more than one, seeing as they're cheaper than gels and keeping quiet about Karol's indulgence deserved a higher bribe.


	14. Drabble Collection 1

Short drabblish stuff. Basically, small things I just never found a right moment to work into the fic, but didn't even have enough to them to make stand alone omakes.

x x x

FTaBV Drabble Collection 1

x x x

The buzzing insect was too fast for her to hit properly with the blade of her sword, forcing Estelle to rely on her shield to defend herself from its stinger attacks. Maybe if she used a spell, though if she only had a bit more time to prepare it...

A dagger flashed through the air, not fast enough to hit the bug directly but cutting a swatch out of its transparent wing. Letha jumped back again before the stinger could hit her in retaliation, and Estelle used the monster's distraction to impale it on her own blade.

Letha happened to look her way then, and Estelle smiled as she met the older girl's eyes. Sheathing her own sword again, she threw her hand in the air. "The sign of victory!"

"Wh-wha...?" That odd braid of Letha's whipped in the air as the girl looked around in confusion. The others were finishing up their own fights around the clearing, but none were in their immediate area. Looking back at Estelle she pointed at herself, "With me?"

"Of course!" Estelle moved her raised hand forward a bit, a silent prompt.

"Uhh, 'kay," Letha's own leather gloved hand smacked lightly against Estelle's white one.

"Hooray for teamwork!" she couldn't help beaming at the even more confused than before girl. Eventually Letha just shrugged and smiled back at her.

x x x

"Hey, c'mon!" Raven raised his spread hand in Estelle's direction.

Her face brightened at the chance for her favorite victory celebration. "Yay!" she was already moving forward to give the archer a high five.

"All right!" Raven cheered seeing this. Really, she was so adorable, he couldn't resist teasing her. Before their hands made contact, he threw his arms out wide. "How 'bout a hug?"

She visibly recoiled a bit, even taking a step back, and her hands withdrew to hover indecisively before her. "I...don't think so..." Yeah, he'd just concentrate on how innocently cute that was and ignore the sting to his manly pride.

Then something collided with his back, forcing a little 'oof!' to escape him with about half the air in his lungs.

"Hug~" Letha's voice sang in his ear as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Not exactly what I had in mind..." he wheezed. And she just giggled impishly.

x x x

Estelle: Our weapons are love!

Yuri: Justice!

Letha: Dumb luck...

x x x

There was only so much to do on a ship at sea. Sailors each have their own ways of fighting off the monotony, and Biggs always found it entertaining to see how first time sailors dealt with cabin fever. Though he didn't expect for nearly half of their passengers to barge in on his card game with Wedge.

"My, Yuri, it seems you're not very good at this game. I'm actually quite surprised."

"Haha! Yuri's poker face isn't enough to save him!"

"I don't see you doing any better!"

"Hey, I think we all knew that I'd suck at this. I didn't even know the rules till we started."

"Yeah, well I didn't expect Judy to be so good at this."

"I suppose I'm just lucky today."

"It takes more than just luck to keep up with me."

"Yeah, Kaufman's got awesome skills with numbers and odds. Nothing less from the president of a merchant's guild!"

Biggs wouldn't have minded so much if the Madam President and the beautiful krytian hadn't cleaned him out of a months worth of wages...

x x x

First one: Estelle has a high five thing with every character, for after battles when the characters pose or say something cool. For some, the first time is different than the follow ups. This would be the first high five with Letha.

Second one: Well, of course I _had_ to do this, what with Letha hugging people on whims and the playful banter between her and Raven. But I just never found a right moment for it to happen after a fight in the main fic...

Third one: Something I remember mentioning offhand to a reviewer. I find it mildly amusing, and since I actually remember it I thought I'd throw it in here even though there's nearly nothing to it.

Fourth one: One of the things I considered putting into the _Fiertia_ voyage arc, but skipped in the interest of getting back to land. In case you couldn't tell, it was Yuri, Letha, Judith, and Kaufman.


	15. Omake 14: A Spy's Thoughts

...Been working on this piece by piece for awhile.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: A Spy's Thoughts

x x x

_'I have a job for you.'_

_**In Keiv Moc:**_

Though it turned out to be more like three jobs. Fortunately two of them could be accomplished together, and for the time being didn't conflict with the third.

Searching for apatheia was more like a wild goose chase than anything else, though it was hardly his place to say that to either of the two powerful men who'd both ordered it. Ironic how the Don had given him the same job as Alexei.

Keeping an eye on the princess made much more sense. She seemed to be safe enough in that former Knight's company, so he didn't think it was that big a deal where her fancies took her as long as the Knights could keep tabs on her. That, obviously, was where he came in.

But what made the least sense was that the Commandant also wanted him to watch that other girl.

As far as he could tell this Letha Vitae was just an ordinary young woman. Maybe her choice to travel with this unorthodox group qualified her as being a little outside the norm, but there were plenty of similar strong willed women in Dahngrest who could give the men in their guilds a run for their money. Compared to them she wasn't so remarkable.

"Hey, Raven..." This time she was the one to initiate a conversation, giving him another chance to get a feel for what she was like. He easily fell into the old rascal persona this group knew him by.

"Yes fair maiden? Wait, I thought ya weren't there when ol' Raven introduced himself."

"Ah? O-oh," Oddly there was a flash of panic in her eyes, though she covered it quickly with a brief smile, friendly and disarming, "I heard one of the others call you that..."

It was a reasonable explanation and he would have accepted it at face value if not for that single moment. She'd given something away already, or thought she had. Now if he could only figure out why it mattered...

He was given another surprising insight not much later, when Letha had let out a sudden shriek and run past him with a centipede of mutated proportions close on her heels. "_Kill it kill it kill it-_" she'd chanted, her voice a good octave higher than normal. It was unexpected to say the least, she'd handled all the other size enhanced bugs with a sort of stubborn cautiousness but hadn't backed down before.

When they'd 'rescued' her from her pursuer, the princess had asked if she had a phobia like the kid.

"N-no, just centipedes, just centipedes," she gasped out between shivering deep breaths. "Spiders are bad too, but centipedes are much _worse_." He was struck again by how _normal_ she was, a girl who couldn't stand crawly bugs with too many legs.

Her breathing a bit more stable, she straightened and looked at all of them with a deadly serious expression. "As much as I love a good joke, if _any_ of you tries to pull something on me that involves centipedes, I will hold a banquet with your eyeballs as the appetizers. And blood for wine. I'll need to think about the rest of the menu." Then she just walked off as normally as if she hadn't just made some rather disturbing threats of bloody vengeance.

He couldn't help watching her with dumbfounded amazement before giving the others a questioning look. "She's kinda scary. Was that normal?" Was _this_ the real face of the 'normal' girl Alexei wanted him to learn more about?

Yuri only shrugged at him. "I'm starting to wonder..."

x x x

_**After Ghasfarost, around Dahngrest:**_

Why, just why, would someone bother kidnapping Letha when a candidate of the imperial throne had been in the city? From what he'd heard, the girls had even been together when the Red-eyes had shown up, but the assassin had definitely targeted Letha and only her. And that had to have been a trap, it would be too much of a coincidence for her to disappear after that for it _not_ to be related.

Had Alexei been behind it? He hadn't heard anything about it. Just because he'd seen his Commandant in meetings with Yeager didn't mean he was the guild's sole client. But he didn't know why anyone else would be interested in her. Hell, he didn't know what Alexei suspected she was hiding.

Though he did have the feeling she was hiding something. He couldn't put his finger on why, though, it was more a conclusion drawn from gut instinct at the moment.That could be anything though, and not necessarily anything Alexei would care about.

"Look, over there!" The blastia researcher Rita was the first to see the person pushing out of the heavy foliage of the forests around Dahngrest. It was that young man who'd put them on the trail of the Red-eyes when they'd first started getting seriously worried about the missing girl.

When they'd moved on to search the wilderness around the city, he'd been the one who suggested breaking into smaller groups to scout a wider range faster. When he volunteered to take the western section on his own, he'd defeated protests by claiming he could move faster that way, and would go for help if he found her in danger. At the time it sounded reasonable.

Now he was the one who brought her back, limp and haggard looking on his back, and the signs that there'd been a fight was obvious. Why hadn't he gotten reinforcements? Why did he care about her when he supposedly met her only once? Perhaps Alexei should hear about this Chase character as well.

Once Letha woke up and started explaining about her capture, he mentally added a "green haired woman" to the list of people who should be mentioned to the Commandant when he reported. This girl was strangely popular, and he couldn't see any connection between any of the parties interested in her.

"Maybe it's actually Letha who's cursed," the princess remarked, which the others took half seriously even though the idea sounded more like a joke.

"She is the one with a mysterious mark on her hand," the boy from the guilds added. What was that? He hadn't heard about that before, though that certainly explained why she always wore those gloves and kept her hands hidden the rare times she removed them. Why be secretive if it didn't have something to do with whatever she was hiding? It wasn't much, but it was the first solid clue he had.

x x x

_**In Torim Harbor, on the docks**_

The conversation he'd had with the ex-Knight hadn't been encouraging.

_'Awww, I can't believe we have to travel with you._

_'I still haven't forgotten what you did at Nor Harbor._

_'Saying that I'd rather not have your company on our trip is already more than enough.'_

And then he'd gone and said something stupid, though it fit his attempts to respond to the sarcasm with light banter. _'I wonder if I could hand her over to the Imperial Knights somewhere.'_

It was supposed to be a joke, but after saying it he realized it struck a bit closer to his true intentions than he'd meant.

_'I can see it in your eyes, old man...you're thinking bad thoughts again...'_ And after he'd excused himself to return to the inn he had to wonder if Yuri had seen a lazy old man in his eyes, or a spy testing the waters.

Sometimes he wasn't sure himself.

Rather than engage in any soul searching, since he wasn't sure he'd like what he'd find, he turned his attention outwards again. Which was what had brought his attention to another source of headaches. When he'd joined that pair hovering over a huddled woman, discovering it was Letha was the last thing he'd expected. He'd somehow thought it was impossible to make Letha cry.

He'd say he was heartless for thinking her moment of vulnerability gave him a good opportunity to win the trust of at least_ one_ person, but he already knew how true that was.

x x x

_**On the Atherum**_

"Hey, Letha, what's wrong with yer hand?"

"Huh? They seem fine to me." The nonchalant response was as if the girl thought it was _normal_. But it wasn't as if it were just her blastia. That was very prominently displayed in her hair, nowhere near her left hand.

"Your hand is glowing!" Well at least he wasn't the only one who thought it was strange.

Though once the girl had removed her ruined gloves and revealed the glow came from a tattoo on her hand the two kids had been satisfied without further explanation. From what Rita said they'd even known about it.

Ah, they'd mentioned something before about "a mysterious mark." So this was what they meant.

Progress after so long was gratifying, though frustrating as he understood even less than before. But he wasn't in any hurry to get the answers. He had time...

And then he'd thought that time had been cut brutally short when the monstrously huge skeleton brought its sword down on her head. Seeing that it had passed right through her without leaving a mark, other than the gash in the wood flooring, positively stunned him. At least this time he wasn't the only one with no idea what had happened, as the others' gaping and even Letha's own shock confirmed they'd all thought her dead.

Surviving a fatal blow without even a scratch, simply miraculous. Like bringing a man back from the dead.

x x x

_**On the Fiertia, after the Atherum**_

He had a lot of time to think, while everyone else believed he was sleeping. Think and watch. Well, he did sleep a lot. Even the lowest grunt soldier learns to take sleep whenever the chance presented itself, since you never know what could happen next. And it provided an escape from the uncertainties that plagued him, even if his dreams, or he should call them nightmares, reminded him of why he owed the Commandant his loyalty.

But when awake, he observed his companions. Watching the krytian beauty was a pleasure, though rather pointless as she had little bearing in his orders. Same for the children. Mainly, they were companions of the princess, and so it was their interactions with her that Alexei would care about.

He cared about how peaceful it felt. And right. It was rare for him to be this comfortable anymore.

x x x

_**In Nordopolica, the inn**_

Letha had new clothes. And was still hiding her hands in a pair of gloves. The girl really didn't want anyone to see that mark. Which was a little odd, since most would assume it was nothing other than an interesting tattoo. A touch of the exotic to a nice, if frequently odd, girl.

"There some reason ya cover that thing up?"

She was uncomfortable. She hid it well, he'd noticed her getting better at that, but _he_ already knew all the possible signs and could read the tension. Personal experience taught him what to look for in others.

"Just don't like to stand out like I did back on the _Atherum_. It doesn't happen often, but it's not very predictable. So I just got in the habit of wearing gloves."

Right. 'Not very predictable.' Which had a very fine difference from 'unpredictable'.

And her story about how she got it... He'd be sure to tell the Commandant. Perhaps he'd have someone look into it.

x x x

_**In the Weasand of Cados, after fighting the Red-eyes**_

"She fell down a hole,_ again_."

"Look who's talking, you put it here."

"That's not what's important!"

So the girl and the youngest kid had fallen down a hole made, ironically, by their mage friend. And Rita rejected any responsibility for it, of course.

It served to add another reason for them to venture deeper into the caverns, in the hope of finding their lost companions. Though catching Regaey was deemed more pressing as they almost had him, and the general consensus was Letha and Karol could take care of themselves that long.

They had to bring their missing members' bags with them. And of course he was given the job of lugging them around. It made sense, since too much extra weight would interfere with the melee fighters, but that was never spoken aloud. The group claimed he needed to 'make himself useful' and 'be careful not to strain his back'. All because he'd been the one to ask who'd carry the bags.

And he found himself wondering, what was in her bag?

The answer was much the same as any traveler carries. The only personal effects was her notebook, the case inscribed with her aunts name, a small cloth bag of cheap candy, some tattered clothes of an unfamiliar material, and a neatly folded costume at the very bottom. He wasn't able to examine any of the contents more thoroughly, as he only had brief moments when the others were preoccupied when he could sneak a few peeks in.

Hadn't she said something about her home life back in Torim? That someone who loved about her was always nearby? So why wasn't there more from that life, some small trinkets of sentimental value? She seemed the type to treasure that sort of thing.

And thinking more deeply on it, while he was convinced her relationship with her uncle was indeed full of affection, her words implied a larger household. More people. But who were those people?

How could he feel like he was getting farther from the truth every time he got closer?

x x x

Yeeeeah! Because we tend to focus on how much Yuri sees, and only occasionally return to the fact that (omg, spoiler) RAVEN is working for Alexei.

We've got a blending of the Raven and Schwann personalities here. Intentionally never referred to him by either name, unless it was a character talking. And took some bold liberties in a few places, like saying that he'd seen Alexei talking with Yeager. I don't think it's impossible, though Raven/Schwann probably wouldn't know what those talks were about.

Obviously this doesn't cover every potential moment for deep insight. His character and position make him wonderfully complex, and a much longer work could be written about him *CoughEmptyMaskCough* but I don't have the time for that. Instead, we get some snippets here and there, mostly the ones that concern Letha.

Actually not sure what I think of this, but I wanted to write and post it anyway.


	16. Drabble Collection 2

Mooaar drabbles! Didn't think I'd be putting up more of these so soon, but ideas come when they come. Some of these? Actually can be pinpointed to specific places in the plot. And actually provide significant elaboration and insight (though nothing vital to enjoying the main fic).

x x x

FTaBV Drabble Collection 2

x x x

_'I'm still not gonna leave my room til after the fireworks end.'_

And he was true to his word. He'd gone straight to bed after helping Letha and Yuri lug that monster carcass into the upstairs hallway. When those bloodcurdling shrieks and subsequent shouts of wrath woke him up, he rolled over and piled his pillow and blankets over his head.

Chase was not fond enough of fire magic to go out there.

He walked on eggshells the rest of the day, hoping it wouldn't get out that he'd been involved. It nearly gave him a heart attack when he was in the main lobby and got a wink from a guildsman who'd told the receptionist he was there to pick up a pair of flare capes.

x x x

She was doing it again.

Letha had her notebook out, the one she practiced that ancient writing in. When Estelle had first asked about it out of pure curiosity, the older girl had claimed she was just writing down stories she knew in order to keep in practice. Estelle didn't believe that anymore, or at least thought that there was more to it.

Because, like right now, there were times when Letha's pen would stop moving. And then she'd flip back to earlier pages in the book and read. And always, always she would have a distantly sad look in her eyes.

_It might not help that much, but..._ The princess laid aside the book she had borrowed from Rita. Theories on concentrated aer's effect in medicine was fascinating, but it could wait for an hour or two.

"Hey, Letha?" The notebook snapped shut as the brown eyes were jolted back from whatever distant sight they'd been focused on. When they met Estelle's gaze they seemed...guilty. Frightened, even.

"Sorry, was thinking..." Letha mumbled sheepishly. Estelle couldn't help looking back down at the book in her lap and at how Letha's hands gripped each other, as if to prevent herself from protectively clutching the book. "Did you need me for something?"

_I wanted to ask what was bothering you..._ But Letha's face was already the same as ever, ready to smile and make a joke about anything, just to make the others laugh. Or groan.

"Oh, it wasn't anything much," Estelle inwardly sighed at herself for letting her resolve weaken. "I was just wondering if you'd help me practice a bit more..." And maybe someday, during these lessons, Letha would tell her why that book and its contents were so painful to her.

x x x

Stew might be good for dinner...

Yes, especially if they happened to have any pork with them. Wouldn't want the meat to spoil after all.

Judith was searching their bags to make sure she had the appropriate ingredients, or close substitutes, when she happened to notice Yuri. Yuri walking over towards Letha. With his sword, despite being in the safety of the campsite's scent created barrier.

Judith had long ago learned to listen to her intuition. Right then it was telling her that it wouldn't be the best idea to leave those two alone.

"Raven," she asked sweetly. "Do you think you could help me with dinner? I can't seem to find the ingredients I need."

"Anythin' fer you, Judith darlin'," the archer promised as he came over to try and win her favor. "Watcha makin' anyway?"

"I was thinking pork stew, but the pot's so heavy once it's full of water," she emphasized 'so heavy' with a tone that made it obvious what a real gentleman would do.

"No worries, my dear, for Raven the Great will take care of that!" And, with little extra prompting, Raven the Great agreed to all the other steps needed to cook their dinner. Just in time for Judith to step into the end of Yuri and Letha's conversation.

"Sparring? Sounds like fun."

"Weren't you making dinner?" And Yuri looked like he'd really wished she hadn't joined in, but didn't voice any actual objections.

"Raven was nice enough to help out a bit." _Just as I'm helping out to keep a secret hidden. Perhaps one day Letha may even realize she needs to thank me._

x x x_  
_

_**I have a bad habit.**_

Letha's eyebrows rose a bit as she gave a soft 'well duh' type of snort. Idly she picked a nugget of chocolate from the package Yuri had given her (the price for note telling a certain Knight Captain about a certain embarrassing admission). Placing it between her teeth, she held it in her mouth while turning the page. Dark chocolate, she hadn't expected that. And suspected it was a silent commentary on her 'black mail'.

_**Well, yeah, I have a lot of bad habits. But this an innocently wicked one I didn't even know I had til high school.**_

"Hmm..." A corner of the chocolate broke off as a canine tooth bit down, and she let it melt on her tongue.

_**Sometimes I would pack a HoHo in my school lunch, and by the time I got to the cafeteria it would be all battered. One of my friends pointed out my bad habit then. He said, "Stop eating that so seductively!" (I should mention he had a girlfriend at the time)**_

Letha paused, another chocolate caught in her teeth, and reread that line. Of all the words she might label herself with, she'd never even consider 'seductive'.

_**I'd been eating the chocolate covering piece by piece, and apparently it was something my male friends notice uncomfortably. And after that I realized I "play" with quite a few snacks. Without even thinking about it. I suppose that makes me a bit of a tease.**_

An eyebrow rose again. Then she drew the semi-sweet candy the rest of the way into her mouth, surreptitiously watching Yuri and Raven from the corner of her eye. Both men shifted in their seats and abruptly looked any where but at her.

With an amused giggle, followed by a slight sigh, Letha sealed the package of chocolates again and packed it away to save for later.

x x x

Her fingers itched to _paint_. There was nothing as soothing as long brush strokes across a clean canvas, watching random shapes and colors taking on a recognizable shape. It was calming where having pieces of a story click together was exhilarating.

Letha groaned and dropped her forehead down to lie on the desk the inn furnished her room with. The next best solution was to rifle through the drawers until she found some loose sheets of paper and a stick of graphite.

Half an hour later the papers were blooming with gray and white flowers. Some were fanciful creations of the mind, while others were rough approximations of actual flowers. Letha was staring at a sketch she'd just completed of a pair of daffodils. Her hand hovered over the page for a moment, then lowered and wrote a quick line underneath.

_**Je t'aime, maman.**_

x x x

First one: Poor Chase. Just wanted to write something quick with him in it.

Second one: Because Estelle is bound to notice something. She cares about the well being of others, especially when it comes to her friends. But she wouldn't be experienced enough to know what to do if it's not a physical wound and the person won't talk to her. But being polite and waiting for Letha to come to her to talk will only last so long...

Third one: Uh huh. Judith did that _on purpose_. I need more practice at her point of view, and the last two lines didn't feel quite right, but they were necessary to establish that she knew what she was doing. And Raven trying to flirt with her? Somehow harder than flirting/banter with Letha.

Fourth one: ...WAS BORED. HAD CHOCOLATE. PLOT BUNNY WAS SPAWNED. Funny, chocolate was one of those Easter bunnies. And, does everyone know what I'm talking about when I mention the HoHos? They're those hostess cakes? Kinda layered chocolate cake and cream filling rolled up and covered in more chocolate? Now I want one...

Fifth one: Some Mother's Day fluff. French line mean's "I love you, Mom."


	17. Ring A Bell

YOU GUYS, I DON'T KNOW WHY I SPENT TWO HOURS DOING THIS!

This probably isn't the best place to put this (as it's neither an omake or even a drabble), but where else?

Seriously, I'm not sure why. There's a few adapted covers of this song on youtube, altered to fit Yuri, Flynn, or Estelle (and one of Raven being silly and singing about how crappy his singing is). And somehow the idea planted itself in my head to make one for Letha. I thought it would die but then found myself working on this. And when I finished went, "Now I have to post it _somewhere_, but _WHERE?_"

I included the original for comparison, and made a few notes on lines where I've seen the lyrics written both ways in different websites (or personally think it sounds like a different word).

I hope this isn't a sugar induced mistake... And for once I actually feel a need to make a disclaimer: THE SONG IS NOT MINE

x x x

Ring a Bell (original by Bonnie Pink)

Reaching out for no man's land

To take a breath and take a chance

I'd walk a thousand nights to change the world

Where to go? When to start?

Who to trust? What to say?

Found them all, just need someone to share

x

It's now in the dusk every day to carry what (on?)

Ain't so strong, I ain't so strong to go

Living in the past is not the way to live

I wish you could hear me say that I miss you

x

Why were we there back to back?

Why were we there face to face?

I must be the light when you're in the dark

If you lose me somewhere, and your tears are in the air

I will ring a bell until you feel me by your side

x

Looking up into the sky, looking for the reason

Why I'm here, and why you can't be here

Who's to hate? Who's to blame?

Who's to hurt? Who's to love?

Who just asked 'Why we can't we be the same?'

x

Try to believe walking down the lonesome road

Ain't so far, I ain't so far from you

Staying the way you are means solitude

I wish you were here and shook off my fear

x

Why were we there back to back?

Why were we there face to face?

I must be the light when you're in the dark

If I lose you somewhere, and I'm still hanging in there

I will ring a bell until you feel me by your side

x

What has been in the mix too long?

There's the (no?) peace when you're at war

Heads or tails, You and I

Light and dark, Ups and downs

What has been in the mere goal? What's there to divide us?

If you're hurt, cry and say 'can't you see your my other half?' (Can't you see your might of the heart?)

x

Why were we there back to back?

Why were we there face to face?

I must be the light when you're in the dark

If you lose me somewhere, and your tears are in the air

I will ring a bell until you feel me by your side

x

_Bonnie Pink_

* * *

Ring a Bell (Letha Vitae version)

Searching through a strange land

To find what's lost and start again

To rebuild the life I used to know

Where to go? When to start?

Who to trust? What to say?

This pain I've learned has helped me to grow

x

At day's end I wonder why I must fight so hard

For another's cause, it isn't my fight to win

But every morning finds me once again

Ready to give all that I've got for them

x

Why were we there back to back?

Why were we there face to face?

I must be the light when you're in the dark

If you lose me somewhere, and your tears are in the air

I will ring a bell until you feel me by your side

x

Looking up into the sky, looking for the reason

Why I'm here, and what lies behind

But for now this is me

And I'll try to stay strong

Did you know it's much more than a game?

x

How can it be that I feel like I'm alone

Even though I walk this road with them

Silence hurts more than words ever could

I wish I could tell them, but I'm filled with fear

x

Why are all my words just lies?

I can't look you in the eye

Who will be my light when I'm in the dark?

If I lose you somewhere and I'm still hanging in there

Someone ring a bell so I'll return to your side

x

I don't believe in what they say

That light is good and dark evil

All I see is a world

That needs both night and day

Wars never have a happy end, hearts can't heal through revenge

Look inside, you can find the strength to keep moving on

x

Why were we there back to back?

I can't look you in the eye

There'll always be a light somewhere in the dark

If we get lost somewhere, there is no reason to fear

A bell will ring until we're together again.

x

_Sylph Writer's adaptation_


	18. Omake 15: He Can Dream

OH GAWD. I SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE THIS

Damn the spontaneously spawning and highly distracting plot bunnies.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: He Can Dream

x x x

Raven could not, quite frankly, believe that she'd agreed to this. It had been a spur of the moment, never believed she'd say yes, expected to get hit as punishment type of suggestion.

Maybe it was because he'd had Judith on his side. Yeah, that was probably it.

The gorgeous krytian had a mischievous twinkle in her eye and curl to her lip that showed how very interesting she found this development. She was walking alongside Raven, the two of them following the lead of the brunette on a mission.

Letha threw open another door, poking her head in and quickly inspecting to see if either of her targets was inside. Raven needed only to see the mixed expression of relief and growing frustration to know that neither was. Letha spun away, stalking off down the hall a bit faster than necessary.

"What was that about?" Karol asked, emerging from the room and looking after his guild mate in confusion. Raven caught him up and forced him to join the group rather effectively by the simple act of slinging an arm around the boy's shoulders as he passed by the door.

"Karol, son, ya should come along an' maybe get a life lesson outta this."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

Letha passed by Estelle in the hallway, and the curious princess fell in beside them.

"There's two unsuspecting young men in for quite the surprise," Judith said mildly.

The quartet filed through the door connecting the hall to the inn's front room, where Rita was hunched over a table with diagrams and notes spread everywhere. She barely even glanced up at Letha, who was standing in the center of the room looking around. "Never around when you want them," the older girl was muttering.

As luck would have it, that was precisely the moment the door opened and Yuri walked in with the pooch on his heels. Raven felt the lopsided grin split his face as he sensed the time of mayhem had arrived. "Yuri! Yer just the man we all wanted ta see!"

"He is?" Karol frowned in confusion, but his question went unnoticed by archer and the krytian. They were far more interested in the way Letha's attention snapped to the swordsman at the door, who had yet to notice the extreme tension of her stance.

There was an audible intake of breath, as of someone preparing to take a plunge, and then Letha was purposefully walking towards Yuri. He had just a moment to start saying, "Did you need me for-" and then her hand snaked up to catch the back of his head and pull him down to meet her in a kiss.

Stunned silence. With only the sound of Rita's pen dropping from her fingers to land on a now ink spattered page of scribbled numbers. Raven's only clear thought was, 'Whaddaya know, she went and did it."

Letha dropped down from standing on her toes, pulling away from the kiss with the swordsman. Yuri, for his part, gaped and looked something like he might if he'd just had Clint from the Hunting Blades punch him hard enough to knock the air from his lungs.

"Oh my," Estelle breathed.

And then, in an even more unbelievable display of lucky timing, Chase came in from a back door with a box of supplies, a petite inn maid right behind him and thanking him for his considerate helping hand. "Not a problem," Chase answered. Hearing his voice, Letha spun on her heel and made straight for him as she had but seconds before homed in on Yuri.

The completely oblivious young man had just set his box down on a counter and turned around just in time to realize the girl was standing right behind him. A single second for the surprise to register in his expression, and then she was kissing him.

"What the hell?" Yuri finally managed to articulate, as he saw Letha kissing another man less than a minute after kissing him. Raven snickered to himself. Oh, how he could imagine the conflicting thoughts in the boy's head!

And then Letha had finished her smooch with Chase, and turned back to him and Judith again. Fists on her hips in a challenging and triumphant pose, she declared, "There! I kissed 'em both! Now Raven owes me and Judith cake for a month!"

"Which do you suppose we should ask for first?" Judith serenely asked her partner in crime as the two devious women withdrew, leaving a room of gawkers and Raven very gracefully accepting his loss.

x x x

"'Eeeey, Raven! Wake uuup!" Someone was persistently shaking him. Cracking his eyes open, he stretched his arms out and yawned.

"G'mornin' Letha sweetest." The word 'sweet' made him pause and think, as it tickled something in his mind. Something about cakes... "I think I jus' had the stranges' dream..."

"What about?" her question ended in a yawn. Half mast eyes suggested Letha hadn't been awake all that long either.

"I dunno, I think we had some bet...and then you were goin' aroun' kissin' everybody."

"Pfft!" she gave him a playful shove to the shoulder. "As if I'd do that!"

"Not even fer a month supply of cake?" he grinned, expecting her to laugh and deny the possiblity.

"Hmm..." Letha's mouth pursed slightly as she tapped her lips thoughtfully. "Well...I do love a good chocolate cake...and can't say no to carrot cake..."

He stared at her for a moment. "So, would you-"

"No, I think not after all."

x x x

Where did this come from? The contest ended (poll is up). There was a (unsurprisingly) high frequency of YurixLetha in those one shots, and some ChasexLetha. And when thinking back on them, I realized that NONE of you took advantage of this contest to have Letha actually kiss somebody! Which isn't such a big deal, but then that one thought spawned a plot bunny and a crack omake.

Some of the logic of the bet is kinda weird and a bit OOC to me. But it's a dream, so that doesn't matter as much. Entirely Raven's point of view, without hints of his Schwann persona, since frankly the Knightly side of his personality wouldn't have much to do with this nonsense. And I somehow managed to give the shippers what they want without making any romantic pairings canon. They'll either love me or hate me for teasing.


	19. Omake 16: The Beat of Wings Part 2

Yep, more from my OC couple. The one pairing that is made canon by virtue of being backstory.

And as a little note, this takes place in the Quoi Woods, probably within the first few weeks. Haven't actually decided how long they'd been there, or long they're there overall.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Beat of Wings Part 2

x x x

At times, he found it hard to convince himself that the woman was _not_, in fact, trying to get them both killed. He strongly suspected it would be another of those times when she found a cave and insisted on exploring. It did not deter her in the least when he, very patiently, explained how such locations were nearly always monster dens.

"But that's why I have you," she'd said guilelessly, green eyes large and not comprehending any reason for concern.

That was how easy it was for her to defeat all his reasonable objections. With pure faith that he would handle whatever trouble she managed to dig up.

Including the enraged mother eggbear that had, unsurprisingly, been sheltering in the cave with her cub.

"Fantastic," Ludwig grumbled as he pulled Sophia's wrist to position her behind him and drew his jian. "Miss Althea," he instructed, keeping his voice calm and level to avoid alarming her, "Please stay back, and leave slowly." His tone was underscored by the eggbear's threatening growl, not yet a full fledged roar. Perhaps they'd be lucky and she'd let them leave without a fight.

Sophia's hands tightened briefly on his arm before letting go. He didn't dare look away from the eggbear, but the slow scuffing from behind told him she was following his orders. And probably backing out so as to keep her eyes on both him and the monster.

For a moment it seemed they'd get away, the monster evidently unwilling to endanger her offspring by fighting in such a small, enclosed area. Until Sophia gasped, "Oh dear!" and the growl rose to a throaty roar that shook loose dirt and small pieces of stone from the cave roof.

Not quite meaning to, but needing to make sure his client wasn't facing an even worse danger, Ludwig glanced back. Sophia was pulling at her skirts, caught in a tug of war match with a second eggbear cub that was chewing on the feather embroidered hem of her dress.

Assured that she wasn't about to be killed by something, he refocused on the eggbear mother in time to block the descending claws. Furious that the puny human hadn't been smashed into a broken and bloody heap on the cave floor, the mother roared again and attacked in earnest.

"Damn," he gritted while trying to maintain his guard without getting bashed aside and leaving the female researcher exposed to the monster's wrath. The eggbear showed no signs of calming down, and Ludwig could keep up his defenses up only so long under its onslaught. Grimly he began to gather aer in through the bodhi blastia belted around his upper sword arm. "Tiger Blade!"

His aer filled jian sliced deeply into the eggbear once, and again. The wounded monster roared again, though now with as much pain as anger. Its huge arm swung again, this time in a horizontal swipe which he ducked under, and slammed into the wall. The heavy blow cracked the very stone. The eggbear cubs bleated in fear, which only fueled the mother's wrath further.

The next time he didn't dodge her arm in time and was dashed against the wall, his back and ribs protesting the harsh abuse. The stone cracked even more, and several pieces crumbled loose and fell on him. He had to throw his arms up to protect his head from the larger chunks, but and internally cringed as he expected a nasty attack from the eggbear he could no longer see for the dust in his eyes.

"O din of this modest land..." Through his blastia armband he could feel the earth based aer coiling tightly in on itself. "Stone Blast!" Aer grabbed rocks from around his feet, and even some that hadn't finished falling on him yet, and threw them at the monster. Finally blinking the dust from his watering eyes, which he would never admit to being unshed tears of pain, he looked with astonishment at Sophia standing by his side.

The researcher was trembling, one hand clutching the winged hair clip she always wore, but the magical barrage of stone directed by an outstretched palm was unrelenting. The mother eggbear tried to bat the flying rocks out of the air, but it missed more often than it knocked them away.

A continuous magical attack could only be maintained for so long before the caster was worn out. Sophia burned out much sooner than any of his guild comrades would have. But she'd bought Ludwig enough time to recover sufficiently to finish things off.

Planting one foot firmly on a good sized rock that had fallen, and briefly thanking his luck that it hadn't caved his skull in, he launched himself into the air for an attack he'd designed himself. "Stooping Falcon!" He came down on the eggbear with feet first, a solid kick with all his weight, and finished by planting his jian deep into its shoulder to reach down to the heart.

The huge monster fell over, dead.

With some difficulty, Ludwig pulled his sword back out from the carcass and wiped it clean. Wincing a bit at the pain of what was likely a few cracked ribs, he stiffly turned around to see how Sophia was holding up.

The researcher was kneeling on the cave floor, hand over her heart and head bowed. She was still shaking.

"Are you okay?" he asked in concern, afraid she might have been hurt by the falling rocks. She nodded, and when she looked up he was mildly surprised that no tears marred her face. Sophia bit her lip and slowly stood up again, using the cave wall as a support.

The eggbear cubs were still bawling, both nuzzling against their mother to try and wake her up. They didn't like this game anymore. Sophia looked at them, and now Ludwig could see a tear in the corner of her eye. She brushed it away, "What do we do about them?"

What indeed? "To kill helpless infants, even those of monsters, doesn't sit well with me," Ludwig stated with no doubt in his heart that he'd never forgive himself for such a deed. "But without their mother to take care of them there's no chance they'll survive."

"Couldn't we take care of them? Until they're old enough at least?"

"No," Ludwig countered that quickly with a negating slash of his hand before Sophia could bring her innocent eyes into play. "Once they grew up we wouldn't be able to handle them, and they still wouldn't know how to take care of themselves in the wild. They'd either die, or return to humans to try and find food. There is no way that will end without someone getting hurt."

Sophia stood with head hanging, like a child that had been scolded by her father. It made him feel old, even though he couldn't be more than five years her senior. When she looked up he braced himself for the sweet, 'I have complete faith in you' eyes, but instead they were elated and decisive.

"I know! We can have someone else look after them!"

He was dumbfounded. "What?" Hadn't he _just_ explained why that wouldn't work? "Miss Althea..."

"No, hear me out," she interrupted. "I know someone who's very good at handling monsters. She'll know how to keep them out of trouble, _and_ how to raise them so they'll be able to take care of themselves!"

"These are monsters we're talking about. You can't just drop them in somebody else's lap."

"I can _guarantee_ that she won't mind, and she can do it."

They faced off for a minute, and Sophia didn't back down anymore than she had when casting Stone Blast against a monster that could snap her like a twig. Finally, Ludwig had to sigh in defeat. He had to respect willpower like that.

"Alright, we'll take them to this friend of yours." At least, it occurred to him, this meant the Quoi Woods expedition had been cut short. Though it was probably only a temporary respite...

x x x

Anything to say down here? …I can't think of anything important... I got kinda stuck in the fight, then once I pushed and pushed til the ball started rolling, I still had trouble deciding the attacks Ludwig would use. After looking through lists of common Tales artes and considering using something from Asch's list of tricks, I somehow pulled Stooping Falcon out of nowhere. Yay Ludwig?


	20. Drabble Collection 3

Not much to say? Other than that I started kicking myself an hour after updating the last chapter because I forgot to mention the fanart from Natsuki Ayaka. Weeeell, here's a link now, and I'll mention it again with the next chapter! http: /natsuki ayaka. deviantart. com/#/ d46cclo

x x x

Drabble Collection 3

x x x

More crustaceous cacti. I was particularly wary of those yellow spines now. That backfired, though, when I started paying a little less attention to the pincers. Just a moment of distraction, and then my braid got caught in one. Which resulted in me running after it rather than having the hair yanked right out of my head.

I saw Yuri preparing his sword and glared at him as best I could while my head was at such a weird angle. "If you're going to cut my braid I swear I'll throw your sword down that aer krene back in the Weasand!" The katana's path swerved to the side last second to cut the monster's pincer off, allowing me to extract my intact hair from the dead appendage.

"You wouldn't really do that...would you?" Yuri asked with just a hint of concern while watching me run my hands over my braid over and over, like an obsessive cat cleaning its whiskers.

I only grumbled, not even looking at him, "Don't you ever dare try it just to find out."

x x x

_**Ballads**_

_Yuri: Not good._

_Karol: What's wrong?_

_Yuri: Letha's getting worse._

_Karol: Wait, you mean...?_

_Yuri: 'Fraid so._

_Estelle: What? Did she get hurt?_

_Rita: No, she's just gradually losing whatever sanity she had to begin with. What's she babbling about now?_

_Yuri: It's even worse than you think. She's reciting love poems._

_Karol, Rita, & Estelle: L-love poems?_

_*Letha enters*_

_Letha: -going to Scaaarborough faaaair...Parsley, sage, rosemary and thyyyyme...Remember me to one who lives the~re...She once was a true love of miiiine..._

_Estelle: Maybe she's getting sick..._

x x x

His hands weren't full so it wasn't really really necessary to kick the door to open it.

He did it anyway. So sue him, it hadn't been easy to find the papers he'd needed. And while Chase didn't really want to blame Letha...the way unexpected things happened each time he saw her was not very conducive to his other work.

_As if paperwork isn't enough of a pain. Thought I'd left it behind on Earth with high school!_

Well, he was done with it now. "About goddamned time," he griped aloud, letting himself fall onto the provided bed heavily. Be just his luck if one of the springs broke just then. He tossed the stack of papers into the air, for the moment not caring that he'd have to pick them up and sort them again. Maybe Al would do it.

He'd been able to enjoy the rest for only a minute when he heard, "What a shame, if only you'd done something more interesting. Perhaps stripped and changed your clothes."

"Hey Al, didn't think you'd drop by til later," Chase waved listlessly towards the window. Alastor had a habit of hiding in his room while waiting for him, and today he was leaning casually against the wall on the far side of the room, the window in the space between him and the desk. _Funny, he normally picks a spot where people wouldn't see him easily, just in case a maid sticks her head in or something. He's right in the open there_. "What's that about stripping?"

"It would have been amusing to see Letha's reaction. Maybe a good show would have convinced her to linger outside your window awhile longer."

Chase bolted upright, making the bedsprings squeal. "What? She was just there?"

"No need to worry," Alastor assured him gleefully, "I was completely in her blind spot right here."

Groaning, Chase fell back again. "Dammit Al..." The fairy only chuckled.

x x x

Damn, that was one hell of a weird girl.

And it was partly because he'd been so sure that she was normal, with just a few odd quirks in the mix. He supposed one could say she was still normal, just 'Earth normal' and not 'normal normal'.

"So what do ya think, kid?" he asked the ex-Knight. "Do ya believe her?"

Yuri was still standing with his back to the door, eyes narrowed in thought as he stared out the window. Or in the window's general direction. It was probably safe to bet the ex-knight wasn't really seeing it. Maybe beyond, trying to spy out that star the girl had said was her home?

"Heeey, you still in there?"

The farseeing dark eyes closed. "I believe her," he said simply.

Curious, he dug a bit deeper, "And how's that?"

The ex-Knight shrugged, "Call it a hunch? What it comes down to is that of all the stories she's given before about herself, this is the one that makes most sense for her to have covered up. Though there's still some questions she hasn't answered yet." The dark eyes opened again and looked over. "What about you, old man? You don't seem all that surprised."

Like hell he wasn't surprised. But he supposed this explained why she'd been so protective and secretive about that strange music box earlier. Not that he intended to bring that up. "Oh I'm surprised, I think the shock of meeting a real live alien has taken a few years offa my life!"

The ex-Knight snorted at him. "You realize you first heard about aliens from her, right?"

"She'd be the authority on the subject here." He crossed his arms behind his head in the casual pose he often affected. "But ya know, that's why I believe her."

Yuri crossed his own arms over his chest, "You do, huh?"

"Yup. She mentioned that 'lightyear' thing, didn't she? Told us what it was just like that. Most people don' come up with lies that easy when on the spot."

"She's had practice."

He winked at the other, "'N that's why I kept askin'. If she'd been makin' that part up, she would have made up a number ta go with it."

The younger man shook his head wonderingly. "Pretty sly, old man. Guess you're some use when you want to be."

He might have said a bit too much on the subject by revealing that ploy, but having a bit of help in dealing with the girl could go a long way.

She was normal. She was nice. And she had a whole other side to her that they would hardly have guessed at before.

Not even Alexei could have guessed this much about her. But in that case, what else could there be that the Commandant would want from her?

x x x

First: Originally a scene in chapter 39, then I took a different direction. But I thought this was funny, so I saved it as a drabble instead of deleting it. It would even be a good way to lead into the "Hair Care" skit.

Second: Classic Hits was fun, but before I heard "Horse With No Name" on the radio (while thinking about the chapter) I'd already had the idea to have Letha singing some random song because the heat impaired her normally self conscious judgment. There were several songs I considered, including "Eyes On Me" (from Final Fantasy 8) and "Scarborough Fair" (Which was used above) for the humor value of her being over dramatic and sappy. In the end I think I made the right choice, but couldn't leave the others entirely alone.

Third: Heheheh, happens during chapter 46, easy enough to pick out when, and seriously what I was thinking when I was writing about Letha's exploits.

Fourth: More Raven/Schwann thoughts. Not as good as the omake dedicated to the workings of his mind, but provides some insight to what the men thought of Letha's confession.


	21. Omake 17: Family Time

Well, we're getting an omake that jumps back to the beginning of the story. Because Letha's been taking the revelations about Ludwig really hard, and I thought I should show some of how they had bonded in such a short period of time. Aaaand then randomly got an idea about Chase with his own foster family.

The song "Nada Sou Sou," sung by Natsukawa Rimi, has the kind of feeling I had in mind when writing these. If you're interested: www. youtube. com/watch?v =5F94TTa5kII&feature= endscreen&NR=1

x x x

Omake: Family Time

x x x

There are things that living in modernized America makes people forget about, or never have a chance to properly appreciate while growing up. Like baking your own bread.

Oh, you _could_ if you wanted to, but how many of us really have the chance? Or even know how?

But Ludwig knew, and his bread was awesome! I was thrilled when he agreed to show me how he did it. If I could eat fresh bread every day I'd be perfectly content with life, I just love it that much. Well, mostly content with life. _No matter how happy I am, giving Nevi a good punch in the nose would be guaranteed to make me happier. Ten times happier. At least_.

I was all bubbly inside and had a bounce in my step as I danced to and fro around the kitchen, fetching the ingredients as Ludwig listed them aloud. He sat on a stool by the kitchen table, one arm resting on wood that had been polished to a shine by years of use. He _could_ have told me all at once what I needed from a given end of the kitchen before I needed to move somewhere else, but I suspected he was doing it on purpose. A smile was starting to turn up the corners of his stoic mouth as he watched me dart from one end of the kitchen to the other and then dart back again.

Breathing a short laugh through my nose, I broke stride when passing right behind him in order to lean over and drop a kiss on the top of his head before spinning away again. The stool creaked and scraped across the floor, making me smirk to myself as I dug through a cupboard looking for the larger mixing bowl. When I closed the cupboard and returned to the table with my prize, Ludwig had straightened in his seat (or somehow sat up straighter than before, which was already like he had a iron pole for a spine) and pushed away from the table in order to turn in my direction.

"Did you just-" he broke off himself in order to cough into his hand, as if clearing his throat, but there was a slight blush just barely hidden behind his fist. "I mean to say-"

With an impish sense of mischief, I leaned over and pecked another kiss on top of the head of dark hair going white. "My dad likes to sit at the kitchen counter back home while reading. I've long been in the habit of doing that every time I walk by him," I explained. "He complains that I'm the reason why he's going bald."

The veteran coughed in embarrassment one last time before gamely joining the teasing. "Ah, so I've become your next victim. I suppose I must resign myself to the loss. And I had been doing so well with keeping it through my old age," he sighed.

I clicked my tongue against my teeth reprovingly. "Now now, you're only as old as you want to be." Eager to get on with the lesson, I went to fetch the yeast Ludwig kept for starting a new loaf of bread, "Besides, I do the same for my mother and her curls are still as thick as ever." _Though with more silver than there used to be._

He chuckled, a warm and pleasant sound that seem to roll from deep inside his chest. "So you have your mother's hair."

"And her eyes," I added. "Dad has light blue eyes. The rest of us have brown. But she has said more than once that she's glad none of us kids got her nose." I smiled as that won another laugh from my new "uncle."

"Come," Ludwig said as he stood up from his seat, "The bread won't make itself."

He stood by and directed me through the work. I heated water and butter to his specifications, mixing the ingredients together, and vigorously stirring it all while hoping I pull a muscle in my arm or something. It would be embarrasing to hurt myself worse from baking than from the dagger practice. (And I wouldn't put it past myself to pull that off. I never would have believed it was possible to pull a muscle in your neck and back from playing ping pong until I did just that during gym class_._) Ludwig dipped his hand into the bag of flour to sprinkle a bit more into the bowl a few times, until the dough no longer stuck to the sides or the spoon.

We kneaded the dough, him encouraging me to use the grip I'd demonstrated when I surprised him with my aikido earlier. But my own efforts were a far cry from the strong and confident motions of his own calloused hands. Eventually he covered the doughy ball with a damp rag and we left it to rise.

"What now?" I asked. _I suppose I could get back to trying to "decode" Sophia's books... I think I've figured out which symbols are vowels._ Hopefully that would be the breakthrough that would let me learn how to read Vesperian writing.

"We must leave it for an hour before dividing it, kneading the pieces again, and then leaving both to rise once more. But until then..." Rubbing his chin, Ludwig retired to the sitting room, with its more comfortable chairs, a low table, and windows showing the front yard. Once there he reached for a lidded bowl on one of Sophia's bookshelves, where it had been acting as an impromptu bookend. "I suppose it wouldn't hurt to pass the time with a friendly game." He set the small pottery bowl on the table and removed the lid. Inside was a deck of cards, their edges worn and colors faded, and several mismatched dice.

Seating himself at one side of the table, the veteran gestured for me to take the chair across from him. "Sophia was a bright and inquisitive woman, always curious and wanting to learn more about everything. I never could understand how such an intelligent person could fail to realize how bad she was at games of chance."

"She liked to gamble?" I asked, curling up in the padded wooden chair.

"Not the gambling itself, mind you," Ludwig said while raising his finger to mark the difference, "She was simply enamored of the games themselves, but had terrible luck." He snorted and cut the deck of cards. "Visiting Torim became more interesting after I met her. If I had ten gald for every time I lost her, only to find her challenging the Dice Master, I could have bought Sophia a good shelf's worth of rare books."

I started giggling at the mental image I had of Ludwig finding Sophia (who appeared in my imagination as a librarian type with a lab coat) in the middle of a game and dragging her off. Dice, cards, and poker chips flying everywhere. "Well, in my case, I know perfectly well that I'm not particularly good at most card games. Could never remember the rules for them, other than the simpler games like Black Jack or Two, Four, Seven."

The cards snarled as he riffled them together, "I have not heard of that last one before."

"Some friends at school taught me," I watched him shuffle the cards, bridging and riffling them once more before he was satisfied. "We used to play between classes and during lunch breaks. Fun way to pass time, and easier to interrupt and hide the cards when a teacher was about to catch us." Study Hall teachers never minded as long as we stayed quiet, but the lunch room monitors were less lenient about it.

"Hmm," Ludwig set the well shuffled deck in front of me, "If you still remember how to play, we can see if this old dog is still up to learning new tricks." He flashed a charming smile at me. "Winner gets an entire loaf."

"Oh, it's on."

x x x

"Mom! Dad! I'm back!" It was always "back," not "home."

If someone were to ever ask, Chase would have to admit that he still felt strange calling the small house in Halure his "home." "Home" _should_ have been on Earth, with his biological parents and sister in that brick house with ivy climbing up the back wall. Hell, even when Al dropped him off in Gaia for about a year, that house had still been his "home."

But standing in the doorway, a few stray luluria petals drifting in with him while he carefully hung up his trusted claymore on the peg provided for just that purpose, he couldn't deny that there _was_ a sense of home coming. _I _have_ been staying here a good...five years? But I'm away as often as I'm here, if not more._

Mellie Lyall looked up from the stove top where she had a pan sizzling, brushing a stray lock of blond hair from her eyes with a smile on her round face. "Welcome home, sweetie," she returned the dutiful hug he gave her with motherly fervor. "We've been expecting you!"

"Really? I'm actually a few days earlier than I expected," Chase raised his voice to be heard as he ducked into the hallway for a minute, opening the door to his own room and tossing his travel stained bag and heavy leather coat onto his bed.

"A mother always knows," she chided. "Clean yourself up and set the table for four, would you dear?"

Obediently, he washed his hands (and forearms) at the sink before fetching a stack of plates. "Four? Who else is here?"

"You even need to ask?" a familiar voice came from the back door. Chase looked up and saw Alastor coming in with Arcas right behind him. The retired guildsman beamed, the expression softening the harsh impression given by the puckered scars left over from his career.

"There you are, boy!" Arcas crossed the room with his rolling gait and smacked a hand across Chase back by way of greeting. "Fit as ever, the country air's done you good! Never would have guessed you're the same boy we found sick on the road out of Dahngrest." He went to his wife next, wrapping an arm around her waist so that their hips bumped together, kissing her on the forehead. She smiled before giving him a little shove and turning back to the stove, spinning a knob so that the flame went out. Arcas took his usual spot at the head of the table after snagging two extra chairs and pulling them up. Alastor took one of the provided seats as Mellie started serving a portion of the vegetable stir fry she'd made to both.

The redhead caught the hand she held a wooden spoon in and gave it a quick kiss. "Truly, my lady, you are a rare gem," he said with a roguish smile and a quick wink.

She laughed, "Oh, go on you! Dinner'll get cold if you start playing your little games now!" Shooing his hands away, she finished serving the rest of the table before replacing the pan on the stove. Chase rolled his eyes at what had become a customary ritual of compliments and coy play between the fairy and the housewife. He passed over the drawer with the usual metal cutlery for the special carved wood utensils kept for the odd fey guest.

"One of these days," Arcas rumbled while shaking a finger at Alastor in mock threat, "I'll come back to my home and wife and find that one of the two is missing. And I'll know where to look if it's my woman not here to welcome me back!"

"I'm curious," Al returned calmly while taking the wooden fork Chase proffered, "If it were your house you found missing, where would you look to place the blame then?"

"Same place, ever since that day you 'accidentally' made the front porch disappear."

Alastor pulled an innocent look, "What porch?"

Chase recognized the part where it would be best if he intervened, "So what brings you here today, Al?" He pulled his own chair up closer to the table and eagerly set into eating his own food.

"Oh, not all that much," the fairy man sedately went along with the change of topic. "I simply happened to be in the area, and thought it would be appreciated to inform your guardians that you would likely return soon. I quite lost track of the time when Arcas here asked me to take a look at the vegetable garden in back."

"Of course I'll use you and your green thumb," Arcas grumbled, "Blasted things never seem to grow right otherwise."

"I wouldn't say I have a green thumb," the other demurred, "Merely that I've had opportunity to learn some of the basics when working with a certain colleague of mine."

"'Basics'," Chase caught and grinned at his "father." "Don't tell me you were pulling up the radishes instead of the weeds again."

"Hmph," Arcas became overly interested in his own food, then redirected the conversation on his own. "By the way, son, there any cute girls you have your eye on?"

Chase could only sigh, having expected this question or one much like it to pop up at some point. "You know, it's not like I go on these trips to scope out possible relationships. I've got work to do."

"Nonsense, no reason you can't find a nice girl to settle down with while on the job. That's how I met my precious flower here-"

Mellie giggled, "You've been taking lessons from Alastor, haven't you? Maybe _I_ should be the one afraid that you'll run off for a tryst with some pretty young thing."

"When I've already found the best lady in the world?" his praise made his wife slap Arcas lightly on the arm, clearly pleased. "Only want our boy to find the second best lady for himself. What about that black haired lass who worked in that cafe in Nor? She took a shine to you!" The man gave Chase a look that he'd realized before was supposed to come across as perceptive, "Drop by to see her on your way back?"

He couldn't help but duck his head, grabbing his glass of water and taking a gulp to cover his embarrassment. "No, dad, I'm really not..."

"Of course you're not, dear," Mellie soothed him, "But you never know when you'll find just the right girl."

Alastor popped a piece of carrot into his own mouth before pointing his fork in Chase's direction. "Wasn't there that cute little redhead back in Nordopolica who followed you everywhere? Maybe an energetic type like her would be better."

"Al, she was twelve." That should be all one would need to say. Usually. But when the other party is a fairy...

"So?" Alastor asked in honest confusion. "She'll grow up. Six or so years from now she'll be a proper adult."

"See boy? Even your boss thinks looking for a girl is a good idea!" Despite his enthusiasm, Arcas eyed the fairy with some bemusement. "Though he might not have the best judgement."

"Isn't that an understatement...?" Chase mumbled.

Mellie delicately wiped her mouth with a napkin before coming to her son's belated rescue. "That reminds me, Alastor, is there any sweetheart of yours waiting for you?"

"Eh?" For a second, the redhead fairy was actually at a loss, and Chase savored the chance to see him put on the spot.

Especially when he noted the way his father was homing in on scent of another victim to his matchmaking hobby. "You may not be as handsome as our boy," Chase disguised his snort of amusement as a cough, and the corner of Al's mouth twitched, "but you're not too bad looking yourself. Pour on that charm of yours and you could snatch up almost any girl you wanted."

"Almost?" Al repeated with a raised brow, reacting now to the implied doubt than to the prying into his personal affairs. "You wrong me, my good sir, to underestimate my abilities so. If I were to become serious in my efforts to woo the feminine persuasion, I could melt even the coldest heart. It is out of consideration for the hearts I would break that I refrain."

"Or, maybe, you're afraid you'll get your head cracked open by a jilted lover," Chase sniped. Alastor tensed, gray eyes looking away.

"Oh ho," Arcas grinned, "So there _is_ a girl, is there? A jealous one?"

"I've no idea what you mean," the fairy denied, but Chase smirked when with a flick of his wrist Al plucked his glasses out of nowhere (Chase still didn't know where they came and went from) and slipped them on. The action itself was telling, since Al's vision didn't need any correction and he wore the glasses only because of the whim of a certain superior fairy. "I am an entirely free man and bachelor, who has plenty of time before looking to settle down for the future. The very distant future."

"That's what they all say," Arcas stated, and clinched with a smug, "Luddie was like that too, but the last time he said that, he came back all smitten. Mark my words, you'll both fall head over heels one day sooner than you think!"

"And you'll be the last person they'll want to tell," Mellie scolded her husband fondly before reaching across the table to pat Chase's hand. "Now sweetie, tell us about your trip."

_'How was your hunting trip with Jerry and his uncle, Chase?'_

He shook away the memory from a dinner years ago, keeping himself rooted in the present. He missed his family, sure, but was there anything wrong with finding a new family to care for? "Well, I didn't have any trouble passing through Deidon Hold, but when I was about to move on to the capital I heard a funny rumor about the Quoi Woods..."

x x x

Fluffiness, a touch of angst, and funny family antics. And no, I don't know what adventure Chase got up to in the Quoi Woods or why he was going to Zaphias, so don't ask. Though if anyone is itching to fill in the plots there, be my guest!

And I suspect that the card game between Letha and Ludwig became a "best two out of three" thing without finishing the last game.

Rules for Two, Four, Seven as I remember them (It's very similar to Uno, if you've ever played that):  
-Use a regular deck of cards  
-At least two people needed to play, but (I'd say) four is ideal  
-Everyone starts with seven cards (number may go down if the group playing is larger)  
-Goal of the game is to have no cards left in your hand  
-Bottom card from the deck is placed on the middle of the table, face up  
-Players take turns starting with the player to the left of the dealer  
-Discard one card from your hand, it has to match either the suit (spades, clubs, diamonds, hearts) or the number (Ace, King, eight, three, etc.) of the face up card on the table  
-Discarded cards form a pile, the most recent being the card the next player must match  
-If you are unable to discard a card (none of the right suit or number) then you must draw a card from the deck. If this card matches either the suit or the number, you may play it immediately. If not, it goes to your hand and your turn ends.  
-If someone plays a two, the player to their left must draw two cards and their turn is skipped  
-If someone plays a four, the player to their left is skipped  
-Sevens are wild and may be played at any time, the player must declare the suit that must be matched (ex: even if you play a seven of spades, you may declare the suit to be hearts)

I think that's all. *Rubs head* I'm not sure if anyone else knows this game besides my circle of high school friends, but I think it's easy and fun.


	22. Omake 18: Hasty Departure  Left Behind

Even more than any of the omakes before, this one was trying to turn into a proper chapter. A chapter full of exposition, but a chapter nonetheless. Why I didn't have the foresight to establish occasional changes in POV early on in FTaBV, I don't know. When I finally get around to my fullscale edit of the story (that I've been promising myself I'd do for ages), I'll probably move these Significant Event omakes into the main story as interlude chapters... I really wish I'd thought to do that before.

And this Significant Event omake in particular has been snowballing on me. As I work on it, it gets bigger and bigger and BIGGER. But I selfishly didn't want to trim out big chunks of it like I should have, since I personally felt that I was getting more insight into the characters than I had when I started.

Therefor, I am embracing the selfishness (it's fanfiction! By nature its creation is going to be a bit selfish!) and posting it up in three parts to make it easier to read. This first part is mostly according to the plan I had when I started, it's after this where I started getting selfish. Part two will wait a few days before going up, and part three will (hopefully) be finished and up a few days after that. ...That's not a guarantee, just so you know. *Looks away sheepishly*

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Hasty Departure - Left Behind

x x x

"Letha, stop!"

Two hands reached out, their owners having the same goal in mind. They reached to grab at the brown clad back turned to them. Both closed on empty air. Chase swore as a few long strands of chestnut hair snagged on his fingers as the rest fell away. With a splash, Letha vanished into the dark water of the harbor.

"Damn!" Lowell spat from next to him, bending over the rail as he tried to see where she'd come up again.

Not wanting to waste time, Chase grabbed the railing and threw one leg up to climb over. But-"Hey!"-felt someone grab the back of his collar and drag him down.

"Are you both out of your-"

The ship shuddered, lurching forward as it yanked their feet out from under them. Chase was just lucky he fell back onto Yuri instead of pitching overboard. Yuri, he was sure, wouldn't count himself so lucky.

"That can't have been good," the other swordsman muttered darkly as Chase rolled off him. The other man gripped the wall of the cabin to keep from falling over as he stood up. Chase had to crawl over back to the rail before he could do the same. A brief flash of pain throbbed in his chest, below the heart and to the side, but he ignored it with the ease of long practice. Even if it was worse than earlier.

Once up again, he could see how the water sped by below them as the _Fiertia_ sliced through the harbor. The boat rocked terribly with its barely controlled speed, timber and ropes creaking from the strain. Chase bit his lower lip as he prayed it would hold together. He could see the row of ships forming a barricade ahead of them.

A white and blue blur from the corner of his eye tore his attention from the Empire's ships. The krityan, Judith, was braving the unstable deck to rush to the stern. _Why is she- _"Ah, crap! I forgot!" he realized as he noticed the building red glow from behind the cabins.

"Yeah!" a young voice, the boy Karol, shouted triumphantly. "We broke through!" While Chase had been distracted, the smaller boat had managed to slip through a gap between the larger ships thanks to its unexpected burst of speed. Now, if it would just last a bit longer, they'd be safely out of reach even once the ceres blastia was...

"'Forgot'?" a suspicious voice repeated. Chase swallowed, then looked back to meet Lowell's narrowed eyes. "What, did you know something like this would happen?"

"Well..." the Earthling hedged, avoiding the other man's intent glare. _A distraction would be great right about now._

"What are you doing?" The princess could just barely be heard from the other side of the cabins. But more alarming was when the mage cried desperately-

"No, stop!"

Not even sparing another glance at Chase, Yuri did his utmost best to sprint for the distressed girls without having the deck drop out from under him again. With less urgency, Chase tried to do the same.

Something exploded. He winced and braced himself as the shock wave set the ship rocking in a _different_ way than it had been previously, hoping it really was only the blastia. The ship's forward propulsion began to slow as it settled down, not dying completely, but enough that he wasn't gonna be dumped on his ass again. He came around the corner of one of the cabins and stopped.

Smoke was streaming up from the ruined blastia, a massive crack dividing it. Sparks crackled and flew wildly from the body that housed the core. Pulling a sour face, Chase reminded himself not to get too close to it by accident. Rita stood next to it anyway, feet wide and hands balled in fists as the horror of what she was seeing sank in. It was, he thought grimly, the same type of expression he'd seen some innocents wear when viewing a scene of carnage for the first time.

The princess, Estelle, was kneeling on the deck not too far away. She cradled Belius' apatheia to her chest, but seemed to have forgotten it as she stared with shock at her friends. It didn't even seem like she noticed when Yuri went to her and helped her stand.

Presiding above the destruction, balanced on the rail with her halberd held loosely in one hand, was Judith. "...This is the path I have chosen." Her voice was gentle, at odds with the destruction she was capable of. And a sonorous voice, like a playback of a whale recording, rang out from over the water.

The mage's head snapped to the side in the direction the call had come from, then her rage fixed on the krityan again. "You're that dragon freak!"

Something pressed against Chase's legs. He looked down and realized the boy Karol was there. The kid's own legs appeared to have given out on him, the Earth man had just happened to be conveniently placed to keep him from falling over entirely. "J-Judith is...? No way..." He reached down and gave the boy's shoulder an encouraging squeeze before returning his attention to the mess before them.

A dark blot in the night sky swept towards them, blocking stars as it got closer.

Yuri was the first to figure out what it was. "Judy! Wait!" Letting go of Estelle's arm, he ran forward to stop the krityan. Rita had also leaped forward but her intentions were less clear.

"Goodbye," Judith said just as the dark shape swooped down next to the ship. She jumped off, the Entelexeia catching her on his back before rising up into the air again.

_Oh, hey!_ Chase shook himself as he remembered. Karol nearly fell on his back as his support disappeared, Chase running back along the shortest path to the ship's bow. "Hey!" he shouted, hoping he'd be heard before the krityan was out of earshot. "Clint and his guys will be after Ba'ul next! Look out for them!"

He thought he saw a glimpse of a smile before Judith was too far away to see clearly anymore.

Hand pressed against his ribs, Chase sighed as he slumped over. His forehead knocked against the polished wood of the rail. _What do I do now? This wasn't what we hoped for..._

x x x

After all the excitement was over and done with the ship managed to coast along for awhile before it was dead in the water. They were out of sight of land, but at least that meant it would be all the harder for the Empire to find them. Judith's departure had left everyone numb, all the rush of emotions and need to act draining out of them as the shock fully set in. Even when the old man had quietly asked where Letha had gotten to and Yuri outlined her stunt to the others, it barely got a round of "oh" and "why would she do that?" out of them all.

Alright, that was getting them nowhere fast. Acknowledging that was enough for Yuri to throw off the dark mood and get back to matters at hand.

"Rita, anything you can do about the blastia?" When she didn't seem to hear him, he grabbed her by the shoulder and shook her, "Rita!"

The mage made a half hearted gesture to shrug him off and shook her head. "I'll...I'll look at it, but the damage is pretty extensive."

"Good thing we have a genius then," he remarked, hoping it would pep her up. And the corners of her mouth did twitch as she brought up the glowing control panel for the ceres blastia. Leaving her to it, the black haired swordsman looked around at the rest of the group.

Everyone had withdrawn into their own corners, brooding over one matter or another. There was plenty enough to choose from. Some of which, he grimaced to think, were about him and what he'd done on his own. _Nothing we can do to change any of that now, not that I would._ But he did think it was up to him to try and drag the others out of the doldrums.

Rita would be alright for the moment with something to keep her busy. He'd come back to check on her and her progress later. The old man didn't seem all that badly off; he had his hands full with his own gloomy tagalong. Harry, he thought the guy's name was. No, it was either Estelle or Karol who needed him first.

Although... Yuri eyed Chase, where the other man stood hunched over the rail at the ship's bow.

He'd rather make sure Estelle and the young Captain weren't about to break down, but there were things about this guy that could not be ignored. _"Ah, crap! I forgot!"_ he'd said just before. And Letha had spilled a lot of secrets earlier after Belius-after the ugliness in the coliseum arena, when Flynn showed up. Yuri had a strong hunch that those two both had loads more secrets than they'd let on about.

_"I've been dying to be able to talk with someone from Earth again, myself."_

_Well,_ he decided, _this guy was the first one to bring up their "other world" in the first place. Maybe he's the easier nut to crack_.

"Hey, you're not gonna be sick, are you?" the swordsman asked to get the Earth man's attention as he approached from behind. Chase lifted his head from his folded arms to peer back at Yuri in confusion.

"What? I'm not...oh. Nah, I'm not sick." He stood up straighter, as if to prove he didn't actually need the support from leaning on the rail. "Just sorta worn out from all that earlier."

Yuri's fist settled on his hip by habit as he gave the other man a quick appraisal, trying to see if there were any injuries that had gone unnoticed in the craziness. "You need some help from Estelle? If she knew you were hurt, she'd fix you up right away."

"No!" Chase blurted out. Then, less sharply, "No, that's fine. It's not something she could help with anyway. I just need some rest." Yuri didn't miss the way his hand raised up and gripped at his leather coat, roughly in the area below the heart.

"You sure?" he asked casually, pretending he hadn't noticed. "Letha went a little crazy about trying to heal Belius, but other than that she never had a problem with Estelle's powers. So it can't be because of the whole Earth thing."

Chase shifted on his feet, leaning back a bit against the rail as he looked away over the water. "It's...pretty complicated. I've got a small health problem that's a holdover from...another world I've been to." He shrugged, "Al's still on my case about that one."

_Al...he means that guy we saw in Caer Bocram, and in Mantaic_. "Another world? Besides Earth? Just how many are there?"

That made him shrug again. "Beats me, I just know that there's enough to blow any sci fi geek's mind. I've only been to three, counting Earth and this world." Chase looked back at Yuri again, and then his eyebrows raised. "Woah, maybe _you_ should be the one going to talk to Estelle."

"What?" Yuri frowned. Sure, he was going to speak with her next, but why-?

"I don't know who did it, but somebody must've decked you one in the face pretty hard."

Still frowning, the swordsman raised a hand to feel his face. He winced as his fingers brushed a large tender spot on the right cheekbone. "Ow, that stings." He replayed the fights from earlier in his head, but couldn't remember ever-oh wait. "I think that was your fault, from just now."

With a sympathetic hiss, Chase glanced at the claymore slung across his back. The hilt would be at the right level to have done that. Yuri guessed he should just be glad it hadn't gouged his eye out. "Right, when I was about to be an idiot and jump after her..." And Yuri had stopped him. Apparently thinking along the same lines, a hazel eye fixed on the black haired man accusingly. "Aren't you worried about her at all?"

"Who, Letha?" He was the one to shrug this time. "Sure, but we can't exactly go back for her now. Besides, she knows how to take care of herself. I'd be more worried about anyone who gets in the 'black widow's' way."

"If you say so," Chase accepted with some clear reluctance. "You'd probably be the better judge, having spent more time with her."

"Just wish I knew why she did it..." Any of it. Yuri gave his companion a questioning look. "Anything you'd like to share?"

Chase was silent. After a minute he just shook his head and took a step away from the side of the ship. "I'm gonna go rest up for a bit, get my strength back and all that. You should try talking with one of the others. That kid, Karol, seemed pretty shaken up."

Yuri smirked at him, "That's the second time you've said something like that. You're trying to get rid of me." The sheepish look was all the confirmation he needed. "What, is your red head friend gonna swoop in and pull that disappearing act again once we're not watching?"

The other man rubbed the back of his neck, making an irritated face when he seemed to realize for the first time that most of his hair had come out of the tail he kept it in. "No, that's not it. Al can't even find me right now, let alone come and get me. We're in the middle of the _ocean_." He spread his arms wide to make his point. "One little slip up and he'd be playing with the fishes." A brief pause, "Dang, now I hope he tries just so I can laugh at him. Maybe a passing shark would want to make friends."

That seemed a bit weird to hope for if they were friends. "You got something against him?"

"Hmm, not really," Chase said slowly. "Not anymore, at least. He'd be fine anyway, Al gets out of hairy situations like that all the time. He feeds the eggbears after all."

"...What?" Yuri must've heard wrong. But in the time it had taken him to catch up with that off the wall image, Chase was already half way to the step down into the small passage dividing the cabins. "Hey!"

"I'm not gonna get far on my own, Lowell!" the Earth man called back. "You can let me have some R and R before grilling me, can't you?" Without waiting for a response, Chase opened one of the doors and shut himself inside.

Shaking his head, the swordsman turned away and looked around for Estelle. He eventually found the princess on the other side of the ship, staring out towards the western horizon. She'd finally put that crystal, Belius' apatheia, away somewhere. Her empty hands rested lightly on the wooden rail in front of her.

Yuri leaned against the rail beside her, back to the open water as he studied the cabin wall. Estelle didn't react to his presence at all. That was no good; if she didn't get whatever was on her mind off her chest, she was liable to think way too much about things again. Thinking about what she wanted to do was fine, but getting depressed and confused over stuff she couldn't do anything about was pointless. "Can you see anything?" he finally asked to draw her out.

"I don't see anything at all..." she said, dejected. "...After what happened with Belius and Flynn..." Glancing out of the corner of his eye, Yuri could see her head bow under invisible pressure. "And Letha, back there I really thought for a moment that she wanted to fight us...and then she just left?" The delicate hands fell from the ship to clasp each other. "Judith too, breaking our blastia and running away... I just don't know what to think anymore."

"Oh yeah?" he input carelessly. Treating something like it wasn't actually that big a deal always worked for him. And trying to figure out what the hell had happened that day seemed a monumental task. Had it only been hours before that they'd all been trying to help that Lloyd guy find his missing swords?

"What should I be doing?" the princess wondered. "I just don't know anymore..."

"I don't think there's anything wrong with what you've been doing so far," Yuri pointed out. "You've helped a lot of people and learned some stuff along the way, haven't you?"

"Maybe," she still sounded uncertain, "When I decided to look for Phaeroh I believed that, no matter what the truth was, I wanted to learn about myself. I wanted to understand why the Entelexeia hate the Child of the Full Moon so much. And now I know...because of this power, to them I'm dangerous. So dangerous that my own friends have to stop me!"

"Hey, hey!" Yuri chastised Estelle before she could get any more wrapped up in thoughts like that. "Belius didn't think you were dangerous. She even told you take good care of your kind nature. And Letha..." he frowned to himself at the harder edge he'd put to her name. He hadn't exactly forgiven her for what had happened back there, even if she'd tried to encourage the princess in her own way. "Well, she did say that you were one of the least threatening people she knows."

A wistful smile flickered across the princess' face. "If only I knew what to do...where to go next."

"I'm sure if you think about it, you'll figure out what you want to do." The swordsman stepped away from the rail, sensing there wasn't much more to do for now. But, just to be sure, he added one more part. "If you're still stuck, it's okay to ask the rest of us for help. We can figure something out together."

Estelle nodded, "Yes. Yes, you're right. Thank you, Yuri," she smiled at him gratefully.

"Hey, don't mention it," he shrugged it off, never quite comfortable with accepting someone else's gratitude. Especially not from someone like Estelle, who he'd always known was a better person than him. He just never felt like he'd deserved it. 'Bout time he went to check on how Karol was holding up anyway.

"Oh, wait!" Estelle stopped him when he started to walk past. Yuri looked at her questioningly, and saw her hands raised and clasped as the light of first aid gathered around them. After the healing arte flashed, he felt the dull aches he'd all but forgotten fade away.

"Forgot about that," he mused. Funny how he'd hardly noticed until they were gone. He grinned at the princess. "See? Nothing bad about that."

Her fingers twisted together shyly, "I can't just ignore someone who's injured in front of me..."

"Right, that's just not you," Yuri agreed. An Estelle that healed people without a second thought was Estelle as she should be. Then a thought surfaced in his mind. "You know, maybe you should check on Chase too. He said he only needed rest, but it looked more serious than that to me."

Estelle's gaze slid past him to the ship's cabins. "I can try..." Before Yuri could say anything to make her buck up again, the princess' jaw firmed of her own volition. "I'm going to try! And I can start learning when my power should and should not be used!" Then she noticed the bemused expression on Yuri's face. "Is something wrong?"

He shook his head, chuckling to himself. "Nope, not a thing."

x x x

I'm not entirely happy with this, I had the nagging feeling that I should skip from the "Judith Leaves" part into the heart of the "Let's Interrogate the Earthling" part. It _was_ what I had planned to do at first. But I don't believe, after all the crap the group had just gone through, they'd be all set to tear into him like that. Not that they wouldn't want to, but they'd all be exhausted physically, mentally, and emotionally. Still, I could have time skipped into the talk, but that's where the selfishness I mentioned kicks in.

I included Yuri's conversation with Estelle because I changed it around here and there. They obviously can't have the same talk as takes place in the game since Letha and I altered the Nordopolica events. For one thing, my Belius somehow neglected to actually mention "Go see Phaeroh," or "Take this crystal to the Don." I only let that go at the time because I have perfectly logical explanations for them to make those decisions, and Chase or Letha could force the issue if necessary.


	23. Omake 19: Hasty Departure  Reflecting

The second part. This is where I got a bit selfish, but there's probably people who won't mind much anyway. Even if everyone really wishes I'd get to the part you've all been waiting for already. (My most humble apologies.)

And yes, I _am_ trying to make you guess what's wrong with Chase. Final Fantasy fans have the advantage here.

Belated congrats to HappyStab for snatching up review number 100~!

Angelic:

Review 101 for you!

FTaBV has called for me to skip over the talks that Yuri and Estelle keep having! It makes me a bit sad, because they have such sweet moments between them. I'm not a shipper of the two since I always saw those times as being friendly support akin to sibling affection, but that doesn't mean I don't think the pairing couldn't happen. But WHATEVER, those scenes are nice and fluffy!

Nice try guessing, but Chase's problem isn't quite that simple~ ^ ^

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Hasty Departure - Reflecting

x x x

The formula codes weaving through the blue-green array kept blinking in and out with each surge of energy. Fractured and missing several key pieces, Rita doubted even she could completely restore them. Not that she'd ever admit that, of course not, there was nothing to admit, because if the genius put her mind to it she could probably fix it after all. But that was a moot point if it'd be too unstable to use safely.

All the components for regulating the flow of energy in and out of the core had been completely fried. Probably had already been well on their way to a meltdown after the severe stress that...that inexplicable _excess_ of energy from before had caused.

_Could it be somehow connected to the apatheia? It's happened before, so that's not an unreasonable theory... And that guy, Duke, didn't he say something before when we showed him the clear ciel crystal? That it was a core without an inscribed formula..._ She growled softly to herself. As much as she'd love to pursue that hypothesis and see how far she could test it, doing something to get them moving again had to come first.

Another surge arced through the glowing blue-green glyphs, some getting thrown off and manifesting itself as an electric element. She frowned, rubbing absently at where a spark had landed on her sleeve before dropping her chin into the palm of one hand. _Even if I _do_ manage to fix the codes and rig up a new system to smooth out the imbalance, there's nothing to do about the structural damage to the core and blastia. If I knew the procedure for making them in the first place_...the wishful thought made her snort at herself,_ I'd be almost twice as famous as I already am_.

But that was one prize discovery she couldn't boast yet. So there was little of worth she could accomplish with the ceres blastia. The Dragon Freak really knew what she was doing when it came to destroying blastia.

The Dragon Freak, who Rita now knew to be...

_I should've known better_, she fumed silently. _People aren't like blastia. They're never there when you need them, and can betray you for no reason at all. On the other hand, if a blastia is properly taken care of it won't let even an idiot down_.

_That's not right,_ a reasonable argument cropped up. After all, throwing a series of tests at a hypothesis to prove it true, or false as it may turn out to be, was second nature to any scientist worth her salt. _Estelle wouldn't betray anyone, not without a good reason. She'd be there for _anyone_, even someone like me_. And the princess really would, Rita knew. Call it kindness or naive idealism, her friend would try anything she could to help.

...It was one of the few theories she actually felt a bit happy to have found disagreeing data for.

"Does it look like it'll be okay?"

"Oh..." Rita hadn't noticed that someone, Yuri, in fact, was standing a short distance behind her. But she didn't see a point in getting overly concerned by her lapse in attention. Wasn't it a given? When working with something as complex and interesting as blastia, who cared what else was going on? "Well, it's pretty bad..."

He stepped in closer to look at the control panel over her shoulder, at which point it coincidentally blacked out entirely for a fraction of a second. It seemed brighter than ever when the formulas flashed back, but that might have just been a trick of the eyes. "Geez, this isn't usable at all..." Yuri grimaced.

She sighed but couldn't argue. After all, she'd been forced to the same conclusion, however grudgingly.

"...Damn it!" she gritted through clenched teeth. "I can't believe that Judith was..." It surprised her how much the revelation..._hurt_. The mage hadn't exactly been best buddies with the krityan, but she _was_ one of the few people Rita had gradually felt she could trust. Was. Now, even if Rita had wanted to forgive Judith, it wouldn't be all that easy.

"And all the time she was with us, she didn't destroy any blastia at all," the swordsman pointed out, as if realizing it for the first time. As if. Rita had his number and could tell what he was trying to pull off with that "innocent" remark.

Well, it wouldn't work. Just because the krityan had demonstrated restraint when traveling with the group didn't make her any less furious. But she did start to wonder, "Why was she with us in the first place? That dragon...Ba'ul, right?" The mage glanced over a shoulder at Yuri for confirmation, though didn't wait for his reply before plowing on. So what if she got the monster's name right or wrong. "It attacked us back in Heliord, didn't it?"

The man grinned slightly, the expression conveying more irony than amusement. "You've got a good memory."

"That's not the sort of thing I easily forget," was her own dry response. "Do you think they were going after Estelle back then?" Estelle; who was the Child of the Full Moon, had a power like the Rizomata formula, and who Judith and Letha had _both_ tried to stop from using that power earlier. "Yes...she knew. They both knew about Estelle..." All this right under the genius' nose, and nobody suspected!

Or...nobody said anything. There was a difference.

She whirled around and glared at Yuri, who only blinked calmly. "You didn't already know about any of this, did you?" she demanded, using all the authority she'd grown accustomed to wielding as an imperial researcher. As _the_ Rita Mordio, who even the second rate hacks back in Aspio knew to respect.

Unfortunately, the infamous Yuri Lowell was thick skinned and immune to authority. Normally this never worked on him and she wasn't expecting it to now. So it surprised her when his dark eyes dropped a bit and he admitted a quiet, "...Yeah. Some of it."

It felt like her eyes were about to pop out of her head, but she tried to hide the surprise that the Mordio Authority actually _worked_ by angrily snapping, "How much _did_ you know then?"

"Well, I found out the Dragon Rider was Judith during that little field trip to Ghasfarost," he shrugged, as if that wasn't too hard to figure out. Which, when she thought about it, wasn't a stretch in any run of the imagination. He'd hitched a ride on that dragon with the Freak when chasing Barbos, and he'd been with Judith when they caught up to him. Pretty obvious when she thought of it that way.

While she was making that connection the swordsman was continuing. "You know what getting anything out of Letha is like." Oh, Rita knew. Fiction, foolishness, and antics only a few levels less annoying than those from the old man. "She'll talk, but the trick is figuring out if anything she's said is actually true."

Frustrated and no longer able to bear looking at the man, Rita turned back to the damaged blastia instead. But that sorry sight didn't help any. "Damn it, I can't believe you...!" she exclaimed in exasperation as she raised a hand to cover her eyes. Not only was _he_ infuriating for never bringing this stuff up-like he never thought that, you know, the rest of them _might_ want to _hear_ about it!-but it was that in not coming clean with it before he'd _actively_ kept her in the dark! Even though he knew damned well how she'd felt about what the Dragon Freak had been doing!

And, just as much, she was just as pissed at herself for never. Noticing. ANY of it!

Sure, both Judith and Letha had been weird in their own ways. But it was expected of krityans to be eccentric, and Letha, in comparison to the rest of the group, hadn't stood out much either. Weird stories, weird tattoo, and eventually an unheard of ability...

_Well_, she frowned into the palm of her hand, _that last one seemed to come as much as a surprise to her as to anyone else. But with everything happening between the guilds and Phaeroh attacking, it just never seemed to need that much attention_. And, if the mage were honest with herself, she'd been much more concerned with Estelle's problems. And of course with the aer krene and blastia, but they were a given.

Yuri had allowed her a moment alone with her thoughts, but spoke up again. "We all have our reasons for what we've done. You and Judith both, and Letha must have hers-" the break in his words prompted Rita to look back at the swordsman again.

"...You mean..."

He shifted on his feet, not quite turning his back but not facing her full on either. "And me too, of course." While his body remained partially turned away, as if ready to leave any second, Yuri still met her eyes as he said that last part. The air was charged with an expectant tension as he waited for her to...do something, she guessed.

"You mean Ragou and Cumore?" the mage quickly deduced. She waved a hand, a flicking motion that could have been her attempt to shoo away a bothersome matter. "Hmph, I don't care much about what happened to them." _Not_ the major issue that concerned her. And besides, it was obvious that the swordsman was totally unrepentant, and personally she believed him fairly justified. A bit extreme, but whatever.

Still, even if he wasn't looking for approval, the man relaxed when she didn't condemn him either. That only lasted a moment before Yuri was frowning to himself. "Cumore..." he muttered. But he shook his head and didn't voice whatever was on his mind. Instead he returned to their previous topic.

"Whatever Letha's motives were, I don't think she meant to hurt anyone. And Judy was a loyal member of our party. That's how it looked to me, at least..."

"Yeah, maybe you're right..." Rita said slowly. Both women had been weirdos, but they'd been...nice weirdos. Not that that made up for anything. "But, this whole time, if even just _one_ of them shared what they knew about the Child of the Full Moon, and about the Entelexeia... Estelle's problems might already have been solved by now."

Yuri turned away, looking off in the direction where Estelle stood by the edge of the boat. Or had been standing, Rita realised then that the other girl had moved from the spot since she'd last looked that way. "It depends, doesn't it?" Yuri asked. "Phaeroh told her she was poison, after all."

Right, and that had bothered the gentle girl to no end. _Didn't Letha react to that too? Making it a point to tell Estelle that it's natural for poison and medicine to go hand in hand..._ Well, if anything, that definitely proved she'd known more than she'd let on before. "...You know, it's possible they knew where Phaeroh was from the beginning."

There wasn't much point to arguing against that, and Yuri didn't even bother. "...Yeah, maybe so."

_Argh, all this is pointless! Moping around and wondering why they did it won't help us figure out what's going on, or what they were thinking, or-or get this ship_ moving _again!_ She threw up her arms, "Either way, I'll never forgive Judith for breaking those blastia!"

"Well then, if Judy comes back, you can feel free to beat her up," the swordsman promised her with a short laugh. If it came to that, he probably would let Rita give the krityan a piece of her mind, complete with a fire ball or two, or two dozen, without trying to stop her.

It didn't make her feel any better. "...She's not coming back..." Rita mumbled bitterly, eyes dropping to squint at the deck from across her folded arms. Why would she? People who left like that, left for good. And there was no telling if they'd even see Letha again either.

But Yuri just hummed thoughtfully, "I couldn't say."

She looked up sharply, about to ask if he knew something he wasn't telling them, something that made him think there was a possibility that one or both might come back. The words died on the tip of her tongue as she saw his silhouetted profile. The man was looking up, out towards the water in roughly the direction the dragon had gone. Light from the blastia behind her touched on his face, although it left most of his features in shadow. But she got the feeling that he looked almost as lost as the rest of them in that moment.

_Hmph_, she turned away, not to give him privacy or anything, the mage just wanted to look over the blastia one more time in case she'd over looked something. _Who asked him to act all tough all the time? Idiot should try thinking about himself for once..._

x x x

_Children of the Earth_... The phrase echoed in her mind.

_Chase raised one hand, as if answering a tutor during lessons. "I'm one too."_

The memory made Estelle falter. She felt guilty, because at the time her first thought was one of envy. Whatever the Children of the Earth were, they weren't alone like she was. Letha and Chase had each other.

Only recently had Estelle learned that she herself was a Child of the Full Moon, but it already felt like a lifetime had passed since then. And it _had_ set her apart her whole life, even if she hadn't known it was responsible at the time. The princess had lived a life more sheltered than most, more sheltered even than her cousin Ioder, ever since the discovery that she could use her healing artes without the aid of a blastia.

_It might have been less lonely if there had been someone else... Someone who was the same as me_. But no. If that person had existed, surely they'd be in danger from Entelexeia like Phaeroh as well. She wouldn't wish that on anyone. _And it wasn't so bad! Flynn was there, and Master Drake and my other tutors were all very nice and interesting people!_

She realized she'd been standing in a daze with her hand on the door knob to one of the ship cabins. Embarrassed, Estelle turned the knob and swung the door open wide. And only then remembered that she hadn't knocked.

_Oh dear, and I've always been telling Yuri that it's important to remember your manners, especially if it's someone you've never met before!_ Not that she hadn't met the young man already, but-_ Tok tok tok_ -she rapped her knuckles against the door thrice.

It was just as well that she had. At the sound of the door opening, Chase had sat up in his bunk and groped around to find his claymore, which _should_ have been leaning against the wall within his reach dammit! But the polite, if belated, knocking cleared his head as the tension relaxed from his muscles again. Trouble usually didn't knock first. Usually.

The princess didn't fully understand the impact her abrupt entrance had had. Her wide eyes only took in the way he rubbed the back of a hand over his own bleary eyes. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "I didn't mean to wake you."

"'S fine," Chase grunted. His hand dropped down onto his lap, where the blanket had twisted around his knees. Estelle took the chance to look him over as he yawned sleepily.

His long leather coat, practically a trademark of his, was draped across the foot of the bed and his boots were falling over each other on the floor next to it. The black sleeveless shirt he had on left his arms bare, exposing a collection of recent bruises and scabbed over gashes. Still, none of the injuries _looked_ serious. It could be possible he was hiding worse, but why would he do that?

_Maybe if he didn't want it to be known... So that no one would try to heal him_. She'd had people refuse her help before, but that had always been because they thought she wanted money they couldn't afford to give up. Or a matter of personal pride. But now she worried...

"Can I help you?" Chase's inquiry broke into her thoughts.

"Oh, sorry," she apologized again, while scolding herself for drifting off a second time. "That's what I wanted to ask. Yuri said you were hurt earlier?"

"Did he?" Chase snorted. "Man's got the instincts of a Turk..." Estelle didn't think she was supposed to hear that last part. Not that she understood what he meant by it.

"It won't take long at all," she assured him while crossing the room to stand at his bedside. "So if you don't mind..." The princess trailed off, hoping he'd agree and fearing that he'd reject her help.

When he shook his head it felt like her heart had jumped up and was stuck in the bottom of her throat. "Like I told Lowell, all I need is some rest and-hey, are you okay?" He became concerned when he noticed the distress Estelle was in.

Turning away, she tried to get herself under control again. Really, she couldn't keep doing this every time. Phaeroh's words were shocking, but acting like this was silly and childish. "It's nothing," she said, trying to keep her voice steady, "I'm just..." To her dismay she couldn't think of a plausible excuse.

A visible jolt went through Chase and he sat up straighter. "Wait, you didn't think-hey, it's not like I think you'll make it worse or anything!" he protested.

"I-I know, I'm being foolish," she sniffed. "But if you're both Children of the Earth, what if there's something I could do wrong when healing you? Like when Letha said I would have-to Belius-" she couldn't force the words out. "Even if I tell myself it'll be okay, it always was before, I'm still afraid..."

Chase stared at her hard the whole time she confessed her insecurities. Talking with Yuri had helped earlier, but part of her still felt like she was taking a terrible risk she didn't have a right to. When her words finally came to a halting stop, the man swung his bare feet out of bed and stood up. Holding his arms out to the sides he ordered her, "Cast First Aid."

"Wh-what?" she stammered in surprise. "I thought you didn't-"

"Never mind that, just cast First Aid. Or Nurse or anything else you know. Go ahead!"

Nervous, Estelle fell back on her most familiar and therefor trusted spell. "Holy power, come to me. First Aid!"

The spell left her and settled over Chase, chiming like a bell as the visible cuts sealed and bruises faded. Just the same as it always did for her. Chase shook his head, reminding the princess of Repede for a moment, before reaching one hand to the back of his neck and cracking it. "Tingly," he commented.

"And you're alright?" Estelle asked, to be sure.

"Don't I look alright?" Chase countered. "Heck, it's like I never even filled in for Clint's punching bag earlier."

Estelle released a breath she hadn't even known she'd been holding. But if it worked... "Then how come you didn't want me to help before?"

Chase dropped back town to sit on the edge of the bunk he'd claimed. "Well, to be honest, I'm pretty used to traveling alone and with limited supplies. I usually just suck it up and deal with minor injuries unless it's an emergency. Even if I'm with other people.

"Secondly," he continued, holding up two fingers, "the actual problem that sharp eyed guy out there noticed isn't gone. Not any better than it was, but not any worse either. Pretty much what I was expecting, and I didn't want you to wear yourself out over nothing." He sounded pretty cheerful for someone who was saying she couldn't cure him.

"I'm sorry I can't be any more help," Estelle told him. She was sorry, but she was also a little relieved. Relieved that she wasn't endangering the people close to her, or that he hadn't refused her help out of fear _of_ her. Once she was no longer worried about that, she began to feel curious. "May I ask, what is the 'problem' you have anyway?"

"Erm," the man fidgeted as his eyes darted to the side. "It's, uh, sorta like aer sickness?"

Estelle briefly wondered why that was posed like a question, but the thought was lost as she remembered something related. "Oh!" she exclaimed, "Right! Letha was always real sensitive to aer too! Sometimes she'd even get sick with no obvious cause, and she absolutely hated visiting the aer krenes. I guess it's something Children of the Earth have in common."

Chase grunted, "Amen to that. Those fu-uh-things suck." The princess noted with some confusion that his cheeks turned a bit red as he spoke.

"If that's what it is, I guess there really isn't anything I can do to help," the princess admitted. She wasn't satisfied with just that though. "But if there's anything I can do to help, you have to let me know! No 'just dealing' when I'm around!"

He grinned at her, "Roger!"

Estelle smiled, but then had to ask, "...Roger?"

"Uh, well, it's a saying that means 'yes ma'am'?" Chase rubbed his neck. "Another Earth thing..."

Which made her even more curious. "Really? Why?"

"Umm... You know, I don't really know why we say it."

x x x

He leaned back, thumb hooked on his belt and ankles crossed in a show of carefree lassitude. Not that he felt all that care free at the moment, but better that then to start bemoaning how unfair life was. He'd already figured out that that never helped anyway.

Talking with Harry hadn't really paid off much. He was a smart young man, yes, and had grown up watching his grandfather run Altosk and the Union. Obviously he'd learn something from that, but the thing was? People expected him to be like a younger version of the Don and capable of the same level of leadership. When he didn't meet their expectations they blamed him and the poor kid was labeled as a disappointment, overshadowing everything else.

No surprise that he'd overreach himself while trying to live up to Whitehorse's name. And Harry was too wrapped up in his failures to slow down and think about what he _could_ do, leaving him to recklessly rush into another round of mistakes.

_Being young is all about slipping up and learning to do better next time_, he mused, recalling a sentiment he'd others even older than himself repeat as a standard "wisdom of the elders" spiel. But there were some people who didn't have quite that luxury, or didn't believe they could afford it. And maybe they were even right to think that.

For now, he'd left the young man to his own thoughts. He sat hunched over, back against a cabin wall and arms wrapped in a vice grip around his knees. Since the glum fellow was refusing to listen to any words of sympathy _or_ well meant scolding, he'd retreated to the end of the wall in favor of the seen-but-not-heard type of support.

And it just happened that he could hear what was being said inside between the Princess and the, er, Earth boy.

Hearing the kid call the ex-Knight a "sharp eyed guy" made him snigger quietly. _How right the boy is._ But, after that last run in with the Earth kid, it was pretty much a given that they'd both be watching him. Since the girl, Letha, had unexpectedly bailed, the boy Chase was the only source of answers he and Lowell had left.

The "health problem" the lad supposedly had interested him. Not just because it brought up the subject of aer sickness again-and he well remembered that time when Letha, in a rare mood to confide secrets, admitted her home world had no aer to speak of. What was of interest this time, though, was that from the boy it sounded more like a cover up.

_What other problems could these "Children of Earth" kids be dealing with?_ Did it have anything to do with why the Commandant was interested in one of them? But Alexei had never shown an interest in the wandering errand boy Chase claimed to be. So that would mean he didn't know the kid was a Child of Earth, as Belius had named them. If Alexei even knew about this "Earth" and its people.

He sighed, wishing, and not for the first time, that someone would just give him the straight answer for once. Or-better yet!-that he really was just the lazy vagabond these youths saw him as.

Or maybe just dead.

He hadn't realized he'd sighed again until a young tenor piped up beside him. "You okay, Raven?"

"Peachy!" he griped, allowing himself to vent under the cover of the never-too-serious Raven. "I think one or two of my bones might've finally turned to dust in one of those fights! I'm barely standin' over here!"

"Right," Karol pulled off a fair imitation of Yuri's 'I don't believe a word out of your mouth' expression. "So that means you're doing fine?"

"Fine, the boy says!" he despaired theatrically. "Jus' you wait, the minute this boat touches land, it's gonna be up to old Raven to clean up the mess brewin' with the guilds! I'm always doin' more than my share!"

That had the effect of worrying the boy. "Do you really think there'll be trouble?"

Well, this would be a hard lesson for the kid, but one he'd need to learn if he was serious about being the boss of his own guild. "The Duce of a major guild was killed, and both the Union an' the Knights were involved. Ain't no way to get past that without some unpleasantness." And, even if it had been under a false identity, he had gotten close enough to the Don over the years to guess just what shape that "unpleasantness" would have.

But, who knew? Maybe he'd be wrong about the old badger for once.

It was then that his eye fell on what the boy was carrying. He had naturally assumed it was the boy's own bag, but realized that it was smaller and had a broken strap knotted back together. Letha's bag.

"Watcha doin' with that?" he asked, pointing a finger to indicate the mislaid baggage.

Karol hoisted the bag up, trying to carry it comfortably along with his own on his shoulders. "I thought I'd put it away somewhere. You know, so it's safe until Letha..." he hesitated and fidgeted in place. "If she comes back."

Well, that was a nice thought. But, "An' what're ya gonna do if she doesn't come back?"

"Well..." the boy chewed on his lip before admitting, "I'm not sure yet. But, if she does-if she does then it's only right to take care of her stuff while she's gone. Letha's another member of Brave Vesperia after all."

Nice attitude, that. "Sounds good to me," he told the budding guild boss, who smiled weakly at him before lugging off the bag to one of the empty cabin rooms. One that had previously been shared by all four ladies, and now just two...

Would either of them come back again? Judith, who he'd never suspected to have a second identity hidden in the wings. And Letha, one person who didn't just see him as the "lazy vagabond" character.

_"How right you are, Captain Schwann."_

Maybe he ought to rethink that angle. The girl had surprised him with that, and at the time the argument she'd put together to explain how she'd caught him had seemed thin yet passable. But after the coliseum...

The ex-Knight didn't seem to remember it, but he'd been there during the incident in Shizontania. He hadn't been as active a participant as Melzome and his men, but he'd known about Garista's involvement. And that there'd been a link between the blastia researcher and Alexei through the Royal Guard.

There'd been times, early on, when Raven had been a thin mask and Schwann would turn a blind eye in the name of obediance. If he had nurtured doubts, he never brought them up with the Commandant.

He'd never brought up Shizontania with the Commandant either.

But Nylen Fedrok had found a note outside his office window detailing the rendez-vous between his strategist and one of the Royal Guard.

_"What about another name, huh? Garista."_ How would she have even known that name? The man had been dead and gone for two years, well before she had left her own world. He hadn't even been clear on what happened to him. Until now. Just how much did these people from Earth actually know? Or was it only Letha? And _why_ did she know?

_"Isn't it obvious which would be more important? Protecting a town or attending a ceremony? Shouldn't it be obvious that orders aren't always right?"_ Those orders had been all that mattered to him ten years ago, after losing everything else. Now...he wasn't so sure anymore.

Maybe it was partly because the Commandant's orders...weren't the same as they would have been ten years before. Back then it had been Alexei's goal to turn the Knights into more than just glorified guard dogs and extra titles for the nobility to collect. He'd wanted to turn it into a group that saw no distinctions between the nobles and the commoners, and always strove to serve those in need. To be _true_ knights!

Lately, he'd been getting the feeling that they were both wearing the masks of other men.

x x x

First time writing from Rita's perspective. When looking over it, I realized the way I wrote her reminded me quite a bit of Edward Elric from Full Metal Alchemist. Huh. Well, whatever helps. Yuri Lowell still give me trouble, and it always feels like a challenge writing his actions and lines in character. But Rita suddenly feels so much easier for me to empathize with.

Haven't done as much as I would have liked with Estelle before. I wanted to give it a try here since this is where she probably felt the most insecure in her role. Before whenever she felt inadequate in either her knowledge or plans for the future, she would resolve to learn more or observe others to figure out what _she_ wanted to do. But now she has to accept that, in her case, simply existing has forced her into a rather tragic position where she inadvertently _hurts_ people. And it'll only get worse for her once she visits Myorzo. :(

And fun times with Raven, playing with his perspective again and referencing _The First Strike_ and _Empty Mask _material~ Melzome was the head of the guild (don't think a name was ever given for it) in Shizontania and a friend of Nylen. During the movie Raven looked like he was just, you know, hanging around the edges for the time being. Until Melzome "suggested" that Raven do his own part in the effort to help the town and figure out what was going on. The first time I watched it I totally missed the significance of Nylen standing by his open window and reading a small scrap of paper. In the scene _right after_ Raven was spying on the royal guard and a mysterious person who wasn't shown to the viewers (though it's obvious when you know the plot). *Rolls eyes at self*


	24. Omake 20: Hasty Departure Clear the Air

ლ(ಥಥ)ლ

Oh my fickle muse and writing ability! Why must you waver between abandoning me and fixating on _other_ projects?

Well, it's coming back to me now and that's what matters. I direct you all to the virtual basket of virtual tomatoes I have right here which you may choose to throw at me in a vengeance seeking manner for my absence. But be informed that, as I am an air elemental/blue ghost lady, the tomatoes will most likely fly right through me and hit Chase in the face. Poor boy.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Hasty Departure - Clearing the Air

x x x

He hadn't slept well. Could've sworn that he hadn't slept at all, except that the other guys had left the room without him noticing at all. Karol sat up and yawned, arms stretching up over his head. His hands bumped against the cabin ceiling since the upper bunk didn't have all that much head room. Down on the floor, Repede lifted his head to watch him for a moment before resting it back on his forepaws. Not being fond of the open ocean, the dog would probably spend most of the voyage inside the cabin again.

As he rubbed the scraped knuckles of one hand, Karol wondered briefly if he should just roll over and try to go back to sleep. It sounded easier, at least, than to go outside and figure out how to face Yuri and the others. Especially Yuri.

_"...Hey Yuri, can I ask you something?"_

_The swordsman probably already had a good guess what he wanted to ask, but he went "Yeah?" anyway._

_"Is it true that you...that you killed Ragou and...?" He'd been about to add "and Cumore," but remembered something that Letha had said. _'Yuri didn't kill Cumore.'_ But he didn't get it. How could she be so confident? And why only about Cumore?_

_"It's true." Yuri informed him flatly. A simple fact without a shred of regret._

_"How could you keep that from me...?"_

Karol fell back onto his mattress, arms spread wide, as he stared up at the wooden boards over his head. Yuri had _said_ that he hadn't meant to keep it all a secret, that he just hadn't found a good time to share it with them. He'd like to believe that, he really would! But...he still had his doubts. Hadn't they all wondered before and talked about what could have happened when Ragou went missing? And again when they heard the news about his body being found. Yuri hadn't said _anything_ either of those times, just gotten this weird distracted look and agreed with whatever the rest of them were saying.

...Maybe Karol had just been avoiding the truth. He hadn't wanted to believe that Yuri, who he looked up to, could do something like that! Having to accept it now made him feel like the world had flip flopped.

_"Wow Captain. If I didn't know you were just goofing around, I'd swear you were really scared."_

"I was scared!" he mumbled, admitting it only when no one was around to hear and scold him for being a coward. "But it was okay if I was scared, as long as you guys were around."

Yuri was always so cool and strong! No matter what happened, he could always be relied on to laugh it off afterwards and be ready for whatever came next. Judith somehow managed to always be prepared, whether it was in a fight or when someone else needed looking after with either a firm word or a helping hand. Her calm smile always made him feel better, even if it meant she'd just gotten the idea to bust through with force. And Letha was good at lifting his spirits. There were the stories she would tell, and it was obvious that she'd always been happy to share them. And even with some other small things, like how she shared his fear of bugs, sort of.

For the first time, he'd been in a guild where it felt like it was _okay_ to be afraid of some things or not good at others, because there'd always be friends at his back.

_Was I the only one who thought that way?_

None of them had relied on him for help, not even once. They'd each carried their secrets on their own.

So what kind of guild boss did that make him, if he couldn't help any of his friends?

...And what kind of guild boss hid under his blankets?

His breath hitched, and he rubbed at his eyes vigorously before they could spill over. He wasn't going to cry! Or hide! If he was too weak for others to depend on, then he could get stronger!

Karol gave a breathy laugh as he sat up again, this time swinging his legs over the bed's edge and onto the top rung of the bed's ladder. _Hey, that's what Nan keeps telling me to do, isn't it?_ All the guilds he'd been in, however brief, his comrades would give him up as a lost cause. His friends now, Yuri and all the others, had accepted him as he was. The time when they forgave him in Caer Bocram for running from that huge monster was one of the best memories he had. But it was Nan, always Nan, who gave him a scolding when he needed one. Nan who told him to shape up.

Maybe if he'd been good enough to live up to her expectations, then he could have done something earlier. Something that would have kept Yuri from killing. That would have kept Letha and Judith from leaving.

_"I think there are some things that you have to do, even if they're a crime. Someone has to do them, even if it means taking the blame."_

His bare feet touched the cabin floor just as he remembered what Yuri had said the night before. Yuri hadn't expected him to...accept what had happened. But he got the feeling that the swordsman _he_ respected wanted _Karol_ to at least understand him, and maybe hoping...that he would accept it? But how could he?

It was too much to figure out all at once. Karol dropped down to sit on the floor, grabbing his shoes from where he had kicked them off the night before and pulling them on. _I just don't get it. I don't know what made them all act the way they did. Even if Yuri says that, I don't believe that he really had to do it._ But if it wasn't the only way, then wouldn't Yuri have become a murderer for no good reason?

Even if he'd been willing, why did Yuri have to be the one to take the blame?

Karol really just didn't get it.

Opening the door to the outer deck, he had to raise an arm to block some of the sunlight that nearly blinded him when he stepped out. When he blinked the dazzle from his eyes and looked around Karol had to wonder what in the world everyone was doing to the ceres blastia.

"And you put that end in there-HEY! Don't be so rough, you idiots, or you'll break it!" Rita was barking orders at Chase and the ship hand Wedge as they forcefully muscled the blastia into position as the mage directed. Off to the side Tokunaga was, less obnoxiously, likewise in charge of Yuri, Raven, and Biggs as they lugged another blastia across the deck. That blastia had been split down the center, body and core both damaged.

"What are they doing?" Karol asked aloud, not sure who he was expecting to answer. "Why do we have two blastias?"

"They're reinstalling the old one," a voice came from by Karol's elbow. "Since the new one can't be fixed. We're lucky they didn't throw out the older model when they replaced it in Nordopolica."

"Uwaah!" he shouted, nearly tripping over his own feet when he reflexively tried to jump away from the voice.

Harry was sitting by the door, eying Karol's reaction unappreciatively. "What's your problem?"

Karol scratched at his cheek and tried to laugh it off. "No, it's nothing." It was then he noticed the bags starting to form under the blond's eyes. "Were you out here all night?"

"I wasn't," the Don's grandson grumbled, defensive. "But that angry girl was probably up all night. I don't know why, it was obvious from the start that the blastia was hopeless."

The brunet boy spread his hands as he shook his head. "That's Rita for you. She doesn't even know the meaning of 'give up,' especially when blastia's involved. And she doesn't have any restraint either."

"Hmph," the man sulked. "What good would that do her? Not knowing when to give up just makes things worse."

They watched as Rita crawled all over the blastia, hooking up wires and pieces while snapping at Yuri to do the same where she couldn't reach. "No, I don't think that's it," Karol said contemplatively. "I mean, yeah, she causes lots of trouble. And she has a pretty short temper on top of it all, which doesn't help. But I think that's why Rita is so good at what she does. She hates failure, so she just keeps trying until she can figure out what works. So she learns something new where other people would have just given up."

Harry's back straightened and he seemed to be looking at Rita with a new focus. "Learn something new from failure..."

"Well," Karol allowed with some embarrassment, "That's just the feeling I've been getting."

Dropping off of the blastia body, Rita stretched and finally looked away from her work. In doing so she noticed the two staring at her. "What are you two freaks looking at? You could've helped you know!"

"S-sorry!" Harry and Karol both yelped guiltily.

_Heheh,_ the boy rubbed his neck. _Her attitude needs work though..._

"Alright, now that that's done with," Yuri announced to the group at large. Everyone gave him their attention immediately, though Raven was grumbling softly about having been made to work so hard despite his age. "We shouldn't be dead in the water any longer, right?"

Tokunaga nodded as the swordsman looked to him for confirmation. "Right. We've moved the ruined blastia into storage, where fortunately we were keeping the old one before. Hopefully it won't stop working again like when the Atherum showed up out of nowhere."

"If it does," Rita declared, "I'll _make_ it work anyway!" Karol grinned, and when he glanced over at Harry he caught the blond man smiling as well. They shared a quick look, like an inside joke.

Yuri nodded at the ship captain and the mage. "Okay, so now we just need to decide what we're going to do next."

"If ya don't mind," Raven spoke up, waving a hand in the air. The senior guild member was sitting on the crate he had helped pack the broken blastia into. "I need ta take that one there," he jerked his head in Harry's direction, making the blond grimace and visibly withdraw, "back to Dahngrest. The old man's gonna want to have some words with him, and the rest of the Union'll be wantin' to hold him responsible."

The door to the girls' cabin swung open slowly and Estelle stepped out. "But," the princess started hesitantly, "...what about Judith and Letha? Aren't we going to look for them?"

"We can't exactly do anything about _those_ two right now," Rita answered, folding her arms over her chest. "One's back in Nordopolica, which will be crawling with Knights and angry guild members. And who knows where the other one is. She and that dragon could be anywhere by now."

Yuri frowned, "Hate to say it, but I have to agree with you. Anyway, it's not like they need us to hold their hands for them."

Karol looked down at his boots, hands curling into fists at his sides. "Even if we can't look for them now, I definitely want to once it's possible."

"Of course," the swordsman agreed. "If nothing else, they broke guild laws and need to answer for it."

"Right," the boy nodded, though the idea of punishing his friends didn't sit well with him. "But first, I want to hear their reasons."

Estelle folded her hands. "Also...I was wondering what we should do with the apatheia. It's...what would Belius have wanted us to do with it?"

No one wanted to speak right after that. It was unexpected when Chase, who had been lingering on the edges of the gathering, broke the silence. "I can understand if no one wants to listen to me, but I'd second going to Dahngrest."

"Really?" Karol blinked at him, "Why?" He wasn't sure what he thought of the man in brown leather. None of them knew him very well, he'd been more like a friend of Letha's who they'd run into now and then. Karol had, honestly, assumed that the two must have known about each other through their father and uncle. They'd both been former members of The Protectors guild after all. But with him being a Child of the Earth...what was that even supposed to mean?

Chase sat down on the deck. "Well...that Belius woman was a friend of Whitehorse, right? There's probably not many people she trusted with her identity as an Entelexeia, and most of them would be back in Nordopolica, right? And no way do we wanna go back there right now. So the Don would be the only other option. That we know of at least."

The black haired swordsman gave half a grin. "That makes sense. But you don't think we'll believe that's the only reason you've got for wanting to go there?" The smile vanished from Yuri's face as if it had never been, and Karol felt a brief chill. "I think we've waited long enough for some answers. What are you up to? Exactly how much do you and Letha know about what's going on?"

While Yuri spoke, Chase's head had listed to the side. His shoulders rose and fell as he heaved a long suffering sigh. "Didn't Letha tell you guys anything? Anything at all?"

"Instead of worrying about what she has and hasn't told us, why don't you just start from the beginning?" Yuri suggested.

And Rita, not surprisingly, couldn't stay quiet. "I want to know just what the 'Children of the Earth' are supposed to be!"

"Yes," Estelle's quiet voice added. "I'd like to hear the answer to that as well."

"Heh," the man shook his head with a helpless laugh. "I'm getting ganged up on here. I'd almost think that this was the reason why Letha jumped last night; to leave me to deal with the inquisition on my own." He laughed again and then clapped the palms of his hands down on his knees. "So I guess we'll start with the basics.

"Letha and I are aliens from another world."

Stunned silence stretched out until Raven muttered, "Well, that was nice an' straightforward."

Rita ground her teeth and growled out, "This isn't the time for jokes!"

Karol couldn't stifle the gasp that came with an abrupt memory. The first time they'd gone through the Weasand of Cados, he and Letha had been separated from the others after falling through a hole Rita made in the floor. And then...

_He was resting on something warm and nice smelling. Like apples, or the blended tea one of his teachers in an earlier guild had liked to make. And there was a sound, a soft humming. It was nice, he would have liked to have stayed like that for awhile. It was the throbbing pain in his head and the slow churning in his stomach that kept him nodding off again._

_Mumbling something he forgot right away, the humming sound stopped and a cheerful sounding voice answered him. When he tried telling the voice something else, it laughed at him before letting him down onto something cold. Which was fine, because the churning in his stomach had been getting worse and he couldn't hold it in any longer._

_When Karol could think clearly again, he realized it was Letha with him. She summarized the situation lightly, not making a big deal about it. He'd been glad she was there with him, on his own he might not have had the courage to keep going. The young guild boss was sure that he'd have been so afraid of getting lost and never finding the others again that he'd break down and start jumping at his own shadow. But he hadn't been alone, and she chatted happily with him about ships that could visit other worlds._

_And she'd made that joke. "...Hey, Ace. What if you met someone who said they were from a different world? Like me, for instance."_

_He had laughed at the time, and after a minute she had laughed with him. But..._

"No way," Karol breathed in little more than a whisper. "She was serious? But-but I thought she was joking!"

Despite how quiet his voice had been, Yuri at least had heard him. "Wait, you mean she actually told you?" the swordsman asked in disbelief. "Why didn't you bring it up earlier?"

The boy's face flushed in embarrassment and shame, not even understanding what he felt ashamed for. "I forgot, I mean, I only just remembered now! Letha didn't actually say she was from another world, and it just sounded like a joke!"

"Hmm," Raven rubbed at his scruffy chin. "Maybe she was testin' the waters? An' when the kid didn't believe her, well, it just made her all the more certain the rest of us wouldn't."

Karol fidgeted, feeling even more guilty. _Does that mean I messed up? I failed as a guild boss and didn't even realize it? Maybe if I took her more seriously that time_...

"Wait, you're not seriously buying this, are you?" Rita looked at each of them in turn, the glare in her eyes calling them idiots for being so gullible. Then she spun and appealed to Estelle as her last ally. "You know it's ridiculous, right?"

Put on the spot, the princess stammered, "I, um, well, it does sound hard to believe, but...but we can't really say until we hear him out?" The mage gaped at her, stunned at being let down in her stand.

"As I was going to say," Chase picked up again after patiently waiting for the others to quiet down, "I'm only speaking for myself. What Letha's gone through and how she feels about it, I can only make guesses. In my case, everything started over six years ago." He raised his arms over his head and stretched them until the joints popped softly.

Dropping his arms back down so that his hands rested in his lap, Chase finally got into his story. "Six years ago I was your typical high school student on Earth. That's what we call the planet we live on: Earth." He leaned forward to look straight at Estelle, glancing briefly at Rita too. "You're probably wondering how that makes me special, right? Like, if a Child of the Earth has any unique abilities not common here."

Estelle nodded as Rita affirmed, "That's right."

"Well, sorry to disappoint," the man spread his hands, "but we're not any different from you guys. Other than having grown up in a different environment, we're pretty much the same as humans here."

"'Humans here'?" the genius picked up on the way he phrased that part.

Chase shrugged and supplied, "Well, we don't have krityans back home. Or Entelexeia. So far as we know we're the only species capable of intelligent thought. Though people get all excited at the idea of finding some intellectual equal somewhere. But that's not really the point here."

"An' you were sayin'?" Raven prompted. "Most 'typical guys' wouldn't end up on some other world, right?"

"Yeah, well, I happened to meet someone weird. I didn't really get along with Al at first. Ah-" Chase raised a finger as he reminded them, "By Al I mean Alastor. I usually tell people that he's my boss because it's just easier than explaining. Back then I thought of him more like a kidnapper. He wouldn't have seen it that way, but he seemed to think it was funny."

"Kidnapper?" Estelle exclaimed, hands flying to cover her mouth in her shock.

Karol gaped at the idea. "You were kidnapped? Seriously?"

Chase waved off the reaction as if it wasn't worth getting worked up over. "Not really, I guess, since Al hadn't meant to bring me along with him. I just sorta, you know, got caught up in the ride. Pretty stupid actually."

Yuri had been watching the other swordsman intently throughout the whole explanation. Here he finally put in a question of his own. "If it was an accident, then why didn't that guy just send you back home?"

"He was going to," Chase said softly. "Al was actually trying to find someone else at the time. You see, the thing about Al is he's actually a fairy."

"Oh please!" Rita scoffed. "First you're aliens from another world, now you're bringing in fairy tales? Just how dumb do you think we are?"

"Which iiis," Chase drew out the word, "exactly what most people on Earth would say. I didn't believe that's what he was, not even when he was warping all over the place or making his magical wings appear and disappear. Bastard got a good laugh when I asked how he'd managed to slip me some drugs." The skeptic mage continued to glare at the man with a look that said she was in no way convinced.

He just shrugged back at her. "Believe it or not, I'm just telling it how it is. And the main issue with the fact that my boss is a fairy is that him and his people have some sort of set of rules of their own that they have to follow. Even if they bend those rules as far as they can or exploit every loophole there's just some stuff they can't do. So they get humans to do their work for them."

In a less than complimentary tone Yuri observed, "And all this is to say that you're one of the humans playing by their rules."

"That's about it," Chase agreed with a rueful smile. "I've been given the option to go home a few times, but in the end I'm still working for them. So I can't really complain about it anymore."

"So if you're here cuz you're workin' for them," Raven brought up, "That goes for Letha too, right? Someone popped her over here from Earth to do a job?"

The remaining humor faded from Chase's expression. "Something like that. Like I said, I can't speak for her. I've never met the guy who did it, but I've heard some about him. They...it seems that a lot of fairies don't really care about 'informed consent'. They make a sport out of tricking people into doing what _they_ want. From what I've heard, Letha probably wouldn't get along well with the one she met."

"What a shame, when it sounds like they have so much in common," the black haired man turned his back on the circle.

"Yuri," the princess said softly, but that was all anyone had to say. Feelings in the group towards the missing woman were still a bit strained. Karol found himself looking from person to person, wishing that somebody would say _something_, anything to clear up his confusion.

_So, Letha really is from another world? Is that even possible?_ He looked to Rita. The genius was scowling fiercely at the wooden boards beneath her feet, chewing her lower lip and muttering the occasional random phrase. She was set against believing it, but wasn't coming up with any of her usual arguments, fact or temper, to support her denial.

_Why didn't she tell us? We're friends, aren't we? Even if it's hard to believe or understand, couldn't she trust enough to share it with us?_ Yuri was still facing the other way, his thoughts and mood impossible to read from his inscrutable back.

Estelle was staring sadly at her folded hands and Raven's gaze was fixed at a point off in the open ocean. Neither of them even seemed to be seeing what was in front of them. _I don't get it. What are we supposed to do? Didn't that make it sound like she's in some kind of trouble?_

And Chase hadn't reacted at all to what Yuri had said about Letha and-and one of those "fairies" sounding alike. He just leaned back to look up into the sky, frowning at who knew what. _Why? I thought they were friends? They're both from Earth..._

"Wait a minute!" he blurted. "Don't you both have families here? We've even met Letha's uncle!"

"I thought that'd be obvious," Chase shrugged one shoulder, "I got adopted. Something similar must have happened for her too."

"Bit old for an orphanage, ain't ya?" Raven joked weakly.

Chase snorted at that before quietly explaining, "I said before that growing up on Earth means growing up in a different environment. When I first showed up here I kept passing out because I wasn't used to the aer. My body just couldn't handle it. I _still_ have trouble with it. Arcas and Mellie found me on the road when they were moving from Dahngrest to Halure. They had just lost their own son in an accident and were trying to start fresh somewhere without the painful memories. You could say...they latched onto me as a replacement. But you'd have to say the same about me, since I was missing my own family at the time."

Karol still didn't get it, no, he couldn't let it go at just that. "But you already have your own family! If you miss them, then why don't you go back?" He himself had often wished he still had a family. People who stuck by each other no matter what happened, who'd always be there for you through thick and thin. He couldn't imagine just...giving that up willingly. That Chase looked downcast while talking about them didn't help either. And his question was left to hang in the air, unanswered.

Harry, as well as the ship hands, had all been listening in on the entire conversation. It would be difficult for them not to, and it was probably hard enough for them to follow without being up to date on everything that had happened. But it still was a surprise when the Don's grandson entered the conversation. "This is all an interesting story," he said with the same level of skepticism Rita had been maintaining, "And I'm sorry if no one here cares about my opinion. But personally I don't think I can believe any of this man's story without some form of proof."

"Yes!" Rita pounced on the suggestion, "Proof!" The mage rounded on the man in question. "Do you _have_ any proof that you're from another world? Or that your weird friend is a 'fairy' like you say?"

The question seemed to actually annoy Chase. "Are you kidding? Even if I'd had anything on me that could prove Earth's existence back then, I've had six _years_ to lose or break most of it! And anything really important to me's been left back in Halure so I won't lose that too!"

"Whoa, settle down," Yuri placated him.

Chase slumped back with a mumbled apology. "It's just, you know, when you don't have much left to remind you of home, losing anything is downer. Even if it wasn't something you care about before."

"So there's nothing then," Karol couldn't help but feel disappointed. The point might have been to check and see if the story was true or not, but privately he thought it would have been cool to see something that came from another world. Like, it would be real awesome if Chase had one of those "space ships" they had in Letha's stories!

"There might be somethin'," Raven interjected, speaking slowly as if unsure he should be bringing it up. "A broken music box in Letha's things..."

x x x

"We really shouldn't be doing this," Estelle fretted as Chase turned the bag over and shook its contents out onto the table.

"Don't worry," he assured her, "I'll take responsibility." It didn't make her look any happier about what they were doing, but he couldn't tip toe around everyone's feelings.

Everything tumbled out into a pile: gels, some non perishable food items, nearly empty canteen of water, a cheap looking comb, battered notebook, yadda yadda-more-of-the-same-stuff-any-traveler-would-carry and all of it easy to find on Terca Lumireis. While he didn't know what about a music box from Earth would make it any different from the luxury items here, he trusted that something about it must have caught the archer's eye.

The clothes that had been layering the bottom were more interesting though. A black tank top with thin straps, denim cargo pants worn so thin the knees were practically threads, a denim vest just as light... _Must've been what she was wearing when Nevys snatched her_. There was also a folded blue uniform that puzzled him as he started to pick it up. Why Letha'd be carrying around something like that, he had no idea-

A few shards of blue and white plastic fell from the uniform. He snatched them up, ignoring when a sharp point jabbed into his palm. _Bingo_. Shaking out the uniform, a mishappen object of plastic casing and green circuit board, with sand ground into every crack, and barely held together by colorful plastic coated wires clattered onto the table. Half a word printed on the front, directly under the cracked screen, was legible. _**SanD**__-_ Chase winced sympathetically at the sight. "Ooh ouch. Losing that would _really_ suck."

"Why?" the boy Karol asked, "What is it?"

"Pricey," Chase answered drily. "If she got it when it was new on the market at least." Scraping up tiny pieces of plastic that had fallen off onto the table, he held it out so Raven could get a better look at it. "By 'music box' you meant this, right?"

The older man nodded. "At any rate, that's what she called it. Was pretty anxious to keep it all quiet like too. I'm guessin' that makes it somethin' from your world an' not ours."

Rita snatched the player from his hand, not to anyone's surprise. "This, what is this even made of? The closest thing I've ever seen to it are some old blastias that researchers never got working again since the right cores were missing, and even _those_ made more sense! I can't even begin to figure out how this works!"

"Sounds like it's from out of this world to me," Yuri gathered from Rita's ongoing rant of wounded professional pride.

"I'm surprised she even showed it to you," Chase remarked while frowning at the smashed device. Something was missing, not that he should be surprised. Still, he pulled the empty bag closer and started to feel around inside. Strange, it looked empty but he could still feel something through the cloth. Nothing was sitting under the bag though. "Did she let you listen to it?"

"Nah," the man shrugged one shoulder, "I found it lying on the ground an' it was already broken. It was only chance that I showed it ta her first."

Chase's fingers caught on a strange seam. Running the tips of his fingers across it he discovered a strange lump of fabric that was concealing a button. Undoing it opened a pocket inside the bag's inner lining. "Here we go!" he couldn't help exulting at the small victory. From inside he pulled out a long black wire that ended in small silver ear buds.

"What is that?" Karol asked again.

Chase dropped the cord into the boy's hands. "No point in having an mp3 player without a set of headphones to actually listen to it with. Here, this end goes in there," he plugged one end into the round outlet on the top end, "and then you'd turn it on. Not that they'll do any good with the condition it's in now," he had to admit when the mage started pressing all the buttons. She gave him a venemous look for not having said so sooner.

His mind returned to other matters and he started feeling around inside the hidden pocket again. "And here we go, Earthly possession number two." A ring of keys clinked at them all as he tossed them onto the table. "And number three's..." a sleek silver phone, one of the clamshell models. Other than a few tiny scratches in the surface, it could be brand new. "The jackpot."

Flipping it open, he found the power button and thumbed it. Nothing happened. "Well, rats." Disappointed, but telling himself he shouldn't be surprised, he handed the cell over to the greedy hands of the mage and let her have her fun pressing buttons uselessly. Further searching of the pocket only turned up spare triple A batteries. For the mp3 player no doubt.

"So what is _this_ supposed to do?" Rita finally broke down and asked him. The music player had been passed on for the others to look at while she inspected the _not_ broken piece of human technology.

Letting the batteries fall back into their pocket where they wouldn't get lost, Chase started repacking everything he'd removed. Other than the items from Earth. "On Earth, we have appliances called telephones that let us talk to people far away. That right there is a cell phone, the same thing but made for portable hand held convenience."

Karol's eyes lit up. "Talk to people far away? So we could use it to talk with Letha or Judith, right?"

Chase felt a little bad shooting down the idea, but it couldn't be helped. "Sorry kid, doesn't work that way. Not only would they need to have phones on them, but we'd need to know the numbers to call. And even _then_ it wouldn't work because there aren't any satellites or radio towers set up all over the place. And this one's out of the power needed to run it."

"It sounds complicated," Estelle marveled at the device when Rita passed it to her. He could only shrug; a phone was a phone to him, even if he could understand how unheard of it was in this world. It had been years since he'd last seen one, but having found a dead cell phone wasn't all that special. "You said it's out of power? What does it use?"

"Well, like most of the stuff we use on Earth, it runs on electricity. Small stuff like this has a battery inside, and when it dies you plug it in to...recharge..." He blinked as an idea sprouted in his mind. In _theory_ it should work, but he'd have to do it himself. Even if one of the group could use lighting abilities, their unfamiliarity with even the concept of a battery made it all too likely that they'd just overload and short the phone out. And then they'd have to deal with Letha murdering whoever fried her cell while she was gone.

Yuri was watching him with interest. "Something wrong? You were kind of in the middle of saying something."

Making his decision, Chase held out a hand to Karol who had just accepted the phone fom the princess. "Just thinking how Al's gonna be up the wall with 'I told you so's next I see him. Could I see that again?" The guild boy handed the phone over without argument, but looked disappointed that he hadn't gotten his turn.

"Right, so..." Everyone watched in fascination as he slid the back of the phone off and plucked out the power cell. He positioned his fingers just so, but paused and looked back up at everyone. "...Just so you guys know, you shouldn't try doing this. This is _not_ the recommended way to charge a battery."

With the "don't try this at home, kids!" warning out of the way, he went ahead and cast the lowest level of thunder he could. Like, not enough to do more than mildly shock Reno or someone during a handshake for a laugh. Reno would deserve it. The electricity trickled into the battery from him and he let it continue to charge for a few minutes, but still stopping long before he thought it was fully powered to err on the side of caution. Starting fires was not a hobby of his.

Blowing out the breath he'd been holding slowly, he popped the battery back into the phone and snapped the cover back on. "Okay now, one, two, three, testing..." After holding the power button down again the display and buttons all lit up a cool blue. The usual powering up messages flashed across the screen along with a little hourglass that kept turning over. Finally he got the default wallpaper, a picture of roses sitting on a mirror or something, a display of the battery power that told him he'd charged it halfway, and absolutely no bars. Go figure.

"And it has a camera," he said, holding it up to catch most of the group in the view finder. "Say cheese."

There was a chorus of "What?" as he pressed the "capture" button and the sound of a camera shutter went off. Chuckling, he handed the phone back over again for them all to murmur in amazement at the tiny, and slightly grainy, picture of themselves.

Satisfied that all attention was being given to the broken "music box" and now functioning phone, Chase relaxed his guard and pressed a hand to his lower chest again. He'd hardly done anything and it had already started to ache again. Probably just hadn't fully recovered from all the use he'd gotten from it the day before. _Al's gonna thrash me if I keep this up_...

He glanced over at the doubting blond Harry. "So how's that? Does this work as proof for you?"

Harry had been standing at the other end of the table the whole time, not saying anything but watching with a nearly brooding atmosphere. While the others had been playing with the phone he had picked up the mp3 player gingerly, like he thought it would bite his fingers off or infect him with an alien virus, and was turning it this way and that. Finally he pronounced, "As for confirming your story about 'Earth' and 'fairies' being real, I'd say no. But it _does_ seem inescapable that your missing friend has posessions that simply don't exist anywhere else, and you obviously know how they work." Putting the broken device down again just as carefully, he conceded with a sigh, "I suppose that what you say may as well be true. That you are 'Children of the Earth' certainly fits better than any other explanations I could think of."

"Great!" Chase gave a cheerful grin. "Now that we've got that settled, just one more thing." Everyone looked up at him questioningly. "Drop the 'Children of' nonsense, will you? Just calling us Earthlings is a lot easier."

x x x

Finally got something from Karol's point of view. Though I feel so so about it...other than trying to convey how lost and confused he is, I don't seem to click with the inside of his head as well. The writing kept falling out of his point of view while everyone was talking, and then snap back to him.

It is possible to charge a battery without a charger, but I am not encouraging anyone who doesn't really know what they're doing to try it. Chase here is only getting away with it because he's SPECIAL and probably has way more experience and knowledge about the matter than me. Credit to his adventures in Final Fantasy land. Please be kind to me, who only knows as much as the internet has told me on the matter...

On that topic, this would be where Chase gains the title: Human Battery Charger.

...Obviously, over the course of the week (and a few days) that they're all stuck on this boat, there'll be much more talking going on. While it wouldn't be unthinkable for Chase to share his life story, or at least the complete story of his adventures since meeting a fairy (*cough* or, in other words, the sorely neglected Final Fantasy 7 fic I started about him), most likely this is about as much as he explains about the details pertinent to this story. Meaning: yes, he probably answers a lot of questions about Earth and Earth history and Earth culture, but defers answering questions about what the fairies are doing or anything about Letha. He'd just keep repeating, "It's better if you hear about that from Letha," or "I can't really speak for her, you'll have to ask her yourself."

May or may not make a set of drabbles of them all stuck on a boat together.


	25. Drabble Collection 4

Longer drabbles than usual.

x x x

Drabble Collection 4

x x x

There were some lines Chase wasn't even going to _think_ about crossing. Not when he had first hand experience with how easily fate gave in to temptation. He may have had a good reason for going through Letha's bag without her permission, but that didn't mean he'd take advantage of her absence any more than necessary.

When the pink haired princess had looked up from the phone in Karol's hands, the boy excitedly scrolling through the archive of pictures they had discovered, she had gone and practically _invited_ one of those dangerous tempting fate moments by bringing up one of the last things he'd expect.

"I just realized!" her excitement pealed out. "This has all those ancient letters Letha taught me on it! Does that mean they're actually from your world?"

"Ancient letters..." he'd repeatedly brilliantly. "What are you-that's just the plain English alphabet. Everyone on Earth uses it." Oh, wait, no... "Er, besides the Japanese and Chinese..." Hold on now... "And Koreans? Oh, and the Russian alphabet..." Come to think of it, there were probably even more than that. He'd never been all that great at languages, so sue him.

"So does that mean you'd be able to read what Letha keeps scribbling in that book of hers?" Yuri posed the question, teasingly adding, "Estelle always refuses to read it for us."

While Chase wondered just how it was the princess had learned to read Earth's English, the young girl flushed a bit in embarrassment. "W-well, from what the first page said, I really don't think that would be a good idea."

_That_ caught his curiosity. "You mean you did try to read it?" Estelle turned a little pinker. "Well, what did the first page say?"

The noble girl smoothed her skirts a little before primly reciting. "'Since there aren't many people who can understand this, I've got a few things to say to anyone who can. Firstly, Estelle, I'm not mad at you but please just stop here.

"'Secondly, to any of the butterfly brained meddlers, who I won't believe for even two seconds _can't_ read this, and Chase: Read any further and _The Grudge_ will seem like Disney's watered down version of what will happen.'"

"..."

The collective silence was broken when Raven looked around and asked, "I don' really get that last part, but does it remind anyone else o' the threats she made in Keiv Moc? About usin' centipedes in pranks on her?"

Yuri shrugged a shoulder. "Doesn't that just make it sound more interesting?" The other swordsman turned to Chase and tilted his head in a _how about it?_ gesture. He didn't need to think about it twice.

"Here," Chase dumped Letha's bag into Estelle's hands. "You keep this. Don't let him talk you into reading it. _Ever_."

The girl nodded at him, both ignoring the grumbled, "Stick in the muds," from across the table.

x x x

One of the best places to kick back and relax was on top of the _Fiertia_'s cabins. When he could convince himself it would be worth the effort to actually climb up there, of course. He could lie back and just glory in the warm sunlight up there, and never worry about getting "accidentally" stepped on or told off for lazing about with a fireball or punch to the head. Nah, he'd still get told off, but he was out of reach of the other things.

He should probably be concentrating on the events of the night before and all the revelations that had come in the morning, but there was a whole week at sea with nothing else to do for that. And, old age or no old age, it had all been more than enough that anyone would want a break. It would keep a bit longer.

Knight's persona grudgingly receding, Raven let himself relax. He dozed in and out of sleep for some time, blocking out everything but for the roll and crack of the breeze in the sails and rigging and the lapping of water against the boat's hull.

"Wait, I'm not sure I heard you guys right," a voice drifted up from over the cabin's edge.

_The Child of the Earth_, the analytical and observant part of his mind identified it, lacking inflection even in his own thoughts. _Or "Earthling."_

Raven cracked his eyes open. _That kid, Chase_.

"I thought you said... Your names are Biggs and Wedge?" The boy sounded like he was really hoping someone would tell him that was wrong.

"Yeah, that's us," Wedge answered. "You heard right the first time."

"Something wrong with that?" Biggs almost sounded like some tavern brawler, deliberating between letting an honest slip of the tongue go or whether an insult needed some heads to be knocked together.

"N-no, not at all," Chase assured them. "Just, they're sorta...uncommon, if you know what I mean, and, uh, I actually happen to used to know a couple of other guys with those names..."

The tension was diffused when Wedge laughed. "Not as uncommon as you thought, right?"

"R-right."

"Don't worry about it, we're used to it. No big deal. _Right Biggs?_"

He chuckled at the surprising steel in the ship hand's voice and at how his comrade quickly agreed, "Right, like you said, no harm an all."

After a moment of silence, during which he imagined a lot of interesting expressions were being shared in silent conversation, Chase forged ahead again. "So, uh, would either of you happen to know a girl named Jessie?"

"Can't say that I have. Biggs?"

There wasn't an answer, at least not a verbal one that he could hear. But Chase spoke again, seeming somehow relieved. "Ah, okay, just wondering. I didn't think it was likely anyway."

x x x

The sun was setting in the horizon, more or less off over his right shoulder. Karol sat on the back of the _Fiertia_ with the fishing pole Biggs had loaned him in hand. And this time he had tied himself to the rail with a spare piece of rope. Next time he caught something big, he wasn't about to lose it because it pulled him into the water!

_It wouldn't have been able to if you were bigger or stronger_, a voice that sounded an awful lot like Nan whispered in the back of his mind. "Not if it was something as big as-as big as that dragon Judith rides!" he argued back. _Yeah, you got that much right. But it probably wouldn't even notice your added weight!_ "Shut up!"

"I didn't say anything..." Karol's head snapped up as he realized someone had come up behind him when he wasn't paying attention. Harry was standing nearby, shoulders hunched slightly and hands thrust into his pockets.

"S-sorry," Karol rubbed his head, embarrassed. "Just thinking out loud." The man's face cleared a little but there was still an unhappy crease in his forehead. He never seemed to fully relax, and Karol had begun to wonder if Harry's face had actually frozen to look like that.

"What are you doing?" the blond asked.

Karol blinked, "I'm fishing?"

The scowl started to come back. "I know _what_ you're doing, I meant, why are you doing that now? Shouldn't you be trying to do something about your guild members?"

"Oh..." The boy's shoulder's sagged a bit and he turned to stare at the bobbing red piece of cork trailing from his line. "I don't know what to do about that yet... I really have been thinking a lot! But..."

Wood creaked as Harry fidgeted in place. "They broke your guild's laws, didn't they? No matter why or how close you guys are, guild law demand you punish them somehow."

"I know!" He gripped the pole in his hands tightly. "That's what I always thought too! But I've been thinking, wouldn't it be better to figure out how to keep them from breaking the laws in the first place? Instead of just waiting for someone to do something bad, and then punishing them?"

Harry sat down next to him, but with his back braced against the railing he wasn't facing the ocean. "That's what the point of punishing law breakers is! Because people don't want to be punished, they don't make mistakes in the first place."

"Yeah but... What if they couldn't help it?" They didn't even know what Letha or Judith had been trying to do. It had seemed like both of them had reasons for their actions, and they'd looked real sorry about hurting the rest of them in the process of doing all that, so maybe they hadn't had any choice? He didn't know that for sure, since neither of them had told anyone anything... And maybe Yuri had been too drastic in-in killing Ragou (and Cumore? No one had brought that up again yet...), but it had stopped the corrupt man from hurting more people. It would have been better if they could have brought him to justice some other way, but...

"So what? You're not going to punish them?" Harry scowled more. "You can't give anyone special treatment. If you let someone slide just because they had an excuse, more people will think they can get away with breaking the rules. They might not even have good reasons, just some sob story they made up to get out of the responsibility."

His friends wouldn't do that! But...thinking that way was the kind of special treatment he realized the man meant. And even if his friends were the only other members of Brave Vesperia for the time being, they still had to set a good example if they wanted the guild to amount to something one day. "I don't know what I want to do... That's what I need to think about some more."

Harry didn't say anything to that. Time stretched on, the two of them sitting in silence as the fishing line trailed out behind the sailing ship. Finally, Harry spoke again. "Your hands are too close together. If you don't widen your grip, you'll just get pulled into the water."

x x x

The heels of his boots clacked with each step, echoing both before and behind him down the stone corridor. He _could_ have chosen to move silent as a night breeze, or even fly to his destination, but it was more satisfying to let the footfalls ring out and warn everyone of his ill temper. No wonder to him that mortals and other wingless beings favored pacing when aggravated.

Not that he was likely to even run into anyone that would require such warning. The Underhills had been cold stone for so long that he'd almost forgotten what it was like to see them filled with his Folk. Will o' the Wisps carried by attendant sprites and familiars lighting the way for lords and ladies traveling between revels. Or impish children squealing in delight as they chased each other through halls and twilight shadows, darting out into mortal lands to play hide and seek or tease the dullard humans.

For a moment an indulgent smile stole across his face as he recalled the olden days. Once, there had even been a time when mortal bards and heroes of reknown had walked these halls, either all up in arms over a trifle like a stolen lover or child, or marveling at the rare beauty and honor they'd been gifted. Some of the more upstart ones were sent back after outwitting the Fae who had "wronged" them, but often returned to their homes with more "reward" than they had bargained for. Or the ones who truly deserved it went away with a boon, selected to grant them aid if they were clever enough to use it properly. Fame and fortune had been made on many a Fairy's favour.

Or...

Alastor shook his head, wondering at his wool gathering. Perhaps he'd caught some of the habit to reminisce from the humans he worked with, walking their lands under their terms. _Those times are long past, even if the Halls were restored to their customary splendour. Heroes on quests and Ladies willing to be enchanted, or to free their True Lovers from enchantments, haven't tred these places for many turns of the centuries. Even if we turn a year or two around on itself, the time has long past_.

And it wasn't just the adventurous mortals these walls missed: the number of Fae had dwindled as well. And of those that remained...many slept. The remaining feared they would never awaken.

His boots clacked with greater urgency as renewed vigour entered his step.

He needed to speak with Sybelle Bianca. Something had been troubling her the last time they met, never a good omen. And then contact from her had ceased entirely. _What is she up to this time?_ It could be anything with her...but this time he held hopes that it may prove related to the issue of the human lad's location. "At Sea" was the best he could manage on his own, but if she knew then Alastor wouldn't have to wait for the boy to disembark.

If, however, she was worried over another matter... There were too many possibilities that he didn't wish to contemplate.

x x x

_**What Happens Next?**_

_Estelle: Excuse me, Chase? Can we ask you something?_

_Chase: Sure. Something else you wanted to know about Earth?_

_Estelle: Something like that..._

_Karol: What happens to the Serenity? What happens after Captain Mal beat Atherton and got that smuggling job with the cattle?_

_Estelle: And Companion Inara, he defended her honor in that duel!_

_Chase: ...Come again?_

_Rita: It's just some stupid story Letha's been telling them. Something absurd about people riding ships through space. Like that could happen._

_Chase: Ah ha haa..._

_Rita: ...Can it happen?_

_Karol: Jeez, Rita, you wanna hear the next part just as much as we do!_

_*Rita punches Karol*_

_Rita: Of course that's not it! Don't be ridiculous!_

_Chase: Uh, sorry, but...I don't think I know anything about a ship called Serenity or a Captain Mal._

_Estelle, Karol, & Rita: Awww..._

x x x

First: Addresses how some people realized Estelle would be able to recognize the writing on the cellphone, and also the fact that they all could, you know, have read Letha's journal while she was gone. That would have seemed likely, since they wanted answers but had no idea of how long it would be until they saw her. I thiiiink, however, that with a warning like that Estelle and Chase would have let it be. And none of the others could do anything about it without at least one of those two cooperating. And all of them seem to be overlooking the case with Sophia's notes in it (which I forgot to mention when listing items in Letha's bag). They probably assumed it's still sealed shut. When did Estelle get the chance to read the first page of Letha's journal? Beats me!

Second: I still try to keep the POV ambiguous when I write from Raven/Schwann's perspective. But, as you might catch if you're looking close, I'm letting this gradually shift into something else. Though it threatens to sound like he's got some split personality disorder at times... And then I played some more with my inside joke of borrowing two staple Final Fantasy names for Tokunaga's helpers. If anyone's wondering why Chase asked about a girl named Jessie, it's because in Final Fantasy VII the members of the group AVALANCHE are Tifa and Barret (main characters, whoo!), Biggs, Wedge, and Jessie.

Third: It strikes me that Karol get's really hung up on the issue of having to punish his own friends. It didn't seem to me like there was much for him to be thinking over for as long as he did, so I tried to see what happened if I let him and Harry talk about it.

Fourth: Al being a fairy. Does any more need to be said?

Fifth: Sorry kiddies, Uncle Chase ain't all that great of a storyteller. He _might_ have watched the movie _Serenity_ or known someone who was a fan of the _Firefly_ series back on Earth, but that would be only passing familiarity.


	26. Drabble Collection 5 - Halloween

...*Sylph quietly leaves this here and disappears again*

x x x

Drabble Collection 5 - Halloween Edition

x x x

"You're looking much improved, dear boy!"

Chase caught himself gaping and conscientiously shut his mouth before his surprise visitor took it as invitation to make some joke about fish or frogs catching flies...or some weird fairy culture equivalent. He only opened it again when his thoughts were sorted coherently enough to ask, "Al, what're you doing?" And, because he might not get the explanation he wanted unless he was perfectly clear, "What are you _wearing?_"

The redheaded fairy had foregone his customary attempts at imitating "modern fashions" as well as his renaissance reminiscent clothing. Instead he sported a gentlemanly red coat, a black hat-like some older precursor to a baseball cap, Chase thought-that his mess of red hair sprang out from under in strange angles, black boots, and white...trousers. The young man mused that he couldn't think of them as "pants" since there seemed a British air about the whole ensemble. There was even a small horn and riding crop tucked into the fairy's belt.

"Mm? Oh, this?" Al cast an eye down at himself. "Well, as I've rather comfortably settled into the name Todhunter, I thought it would be appropriate to dress so. The season here is roughly the time of Samhain. Recently I've found the traditions of foolery and play more palatable than devoting to remembrance of the long dead."

"Saw-what now?" Chase muttered, though he wasn't really looking for an explanation. He'd long since grown used to letting Alastor's slips of history and fairy trivia pass with little or no remark. This time, however, he had the feeling that only half of it was zooming by over head and the rest of it was with grabbing reach. Well, the big giveaway there was the mention of the season.

The fairy had accosted him as he was passing through Ehmead Hill, the hill a riot of flaming red and orange leaves turning to muddy brown. An insistent chill was starting to creep in on him now that he'd stopped moving, forcing him to pull the collar of his patched coat in closer. Mellie had given it to him when he first started walking around everywhere with his fingers tucked under his arms. Now there was frost on the grass some mornings, and it wouldn't be long before the worn out coat was fighting a losing battle.

"So, wait, you're in that get up because it's about time for Halloween?"

"Ah." It was just a tiny noise of understated enlightenment. Alastor blinked and said nothing for a second. Chase allowed himself a small smirk; catching Al off balance one way or another always counted as a win even if he wasn't sure how he'd done it. "Yes," Al finally replied smoothly while trying to mask his fumble, "quite right, that is what most of you call it now. From All Hallow's Eve and all that."

"Uh huh," Chase was still grinning. "Right. So what does 'Saw-win' have to do with your first visit in months? You sorta disappeared after it became obvious the aer wasn't actually going to smother me to death." Actually, the fairy had on a few sporadic occasions returned to check in on him, but the last time had been three months prior.

A bright smile returned to Al's face, this one of the variety Chase hated. He liked the one that knew Al was covering up for making an ass out of himself, and the rare genuine one when Al was relieved about something, but this was his version of a shit eating grin. It was accompanied by a flamboyant twist of Al's wrist that ended stretched out in Chase's direction in offering. Some luridly orange _thing_ was dangling from his fingers by a black wire. It was-was that a plastic pumpkin?!

_It fucking is!_ Chase groaned and simply buried his face in one hand. He could still see the leering black grin painted on the damn thing in his mind. After the better part of a year on Terca Lumireis it was jarringly out of place to the sensibilities.

"I simply thought you might appreciate a nostalgic gesture of your home world's traditions."

"One, I haven't even gone trick or treating since Haley decided she'd rather go to Halloween parties with her friends," which meant he didn't have to be the responsible one walking her from door step to door step anymore, "And two; if you dare say it I'm gonna punch you in the mouth."

Al didn't say anything. And with his face covered Chase couldn't see his reaction if there was any (though that damned grin was probably still on his face). But then there was a crinkling noise, and it wasn't hard for his mind to supply an image of someone rummaging through a container of plastic wrapped candy. Looking up, he did indeed see Al digging through his plastic jack o' lantern.

Finding whatever he'd been searching for, the red head again held out a bite sized piece wrapped in brown, wide eyes somehow combining innocence and mockery. "Snickers?"

"Goddamn you," Chase swore even as he accepted the semi-peace offering. "You better have more of those."

x x x

"Let me guess," Chase managed not to laugh, but only just. "You're a lion tamer this year, huh."

"Evidently," Al confirmed, and looked none too happy about it. Perhaps because he'd shown up lugging a wooden stool around, a prop that Arcas and Mellie had inquired after with curiosity and a hint of concern. They didn't have all that much proof supporting the sanity their new son's employer after all.

"Okay, okay, one more guess," Chase no longer was in danger of laughing in Al's face, but his own grin said it all. "Sybelle's making you wear it, isn't she?" The fact that Al sulkily refused to answer was good as gold. There were times when Chase couldn't help but think that the boss of his boss was possibly one of the best people he'd met since life turned on its ear.

"So this 'Hallow's Eve' you called it?" Mellie Lyall questioned, giving her husband a light slap on the shoulder as his own shoulders had begun to roll in quiet laughter. His laughter never was quiet for more than a few chuckles. "How exactly do you celebrate in your world?"

"Weeell," Chase drew out his answer, still grinning at Al, "Al's doing it right now. Where" _and when,_ "I grew up, people usually dressed up in costumes and had a good time. People decorate their houses like haunted mansions and then kids in costumes go door to door and ask them for candy. Doesn't seem like something that old and senile Alastor would be into, but here ya go!"

Nose in the air, Al sniffed haughtily and in deliberate exaggeration. "I'll have you know that this tradition dates back far before your commercial era. It was originally for the sake of allowing spirits to walk on equal terms with humans without raising alarm."

Arcas snorted. "Don'tcha do that any time of the year?"

Alastor simply smiled and tapped a finger to his nose. "Ah, but the humans don't have to know that." His hands clapped together. "Splendid! It's a little too short notice to turn up costumes, but if you happen to have any apples and a large tub capable of holding water?"

"Oh," Mellie smiled softly, "finding a little something to dress up with shouldn't be all that hard. And dear, why don't you and Chase go fetch the apples bought the other day? And the laundry tub."

His foster mother was already making a beeline for the hallway closet before anyone else started moving. Before following the orders the house head (certainly it was Mellie and not her husband in charge) had given, Chase shot a look at Al. "Really? You're gonna have us bob for apples? I've never done this before, and I honestly think no one back home ever tried either."

Al's expression was sincerely appalled at the revelation. "Not once? My boy, I am obligated to inform you that _you have been celebrating this holiday wrong._"

x x x

"Al."

The response was garbled and unintelligible, and not entirely because it was in another language.

"Al."

More garbled gibberish, though louder this time.

"_Al_."

"Beidh an cailleach glas cas sinn i tulips..."

Whatever that meant, Chase had no clue unless it had something to do with flowers. Which didn't explain why Alastor was passed out in his bed with both arms wrapped around a pumpkin. He was back in his wannabe Shakespeare actor clothes though. An unusual addition was a black silk handkerchief pulled down around his neck. _Leave your room for fifteen minutes to get breakfast, and you find a fairy sleeping in your bed_.

Shaking his head with a sigh, Chase squatted next to his pack and fished out the canteen from one of the side pockets. With no remorse he stood and emptied the entire thing on Al's head.

The fairy bolted up spluttering, red hair flinging water around the room as he shook his head. Immediately he groaned and fell back onto the pillows with his arms flung over his eyes. He hissed, "Diabhal na leipreachán agus ni-ghini!"

"Al," Chase tried again, "Al, what are you doing in my bed?"

A bleary bloodshot eye peaked at him from under a silk sleeve. "...Where's your bed nao?" the fairy slurred.

"We're in Mantaic," Chase told him patiently. "Al... Tell me if I'm wrong, but are you drunk?"

"Noooo..." Al groaned and pressed his arms against his eyes more tightly. "Past that step now. Hung over."

"I didn't know you guys could get hungover." Then again, what did Chase now about fairies? Before he met Al, apparently everything he knew was dead wrong.

"You do if you sit at table with a team of leipreachán...pardon, leprechauns..."

Not much Chase could say to that. "Uh huh...and the giant gourd you've got there?"

Al didn't answer this time, but his head slowly turned and an arm lifted so he could peer down at the pumpkin still sitting next to him on the bed. It was a pretty nice one, when he was a kid he would have zeroed in on it in the pumpkin patch as prime carving material. "Beidh Verte dúnmharú dom," he muttered, and then just as slowly looked over in Chase's direction again. "May I interest you in an illicitly appropriated pumpkin?"

x x x

"Yer boss did what?" Mark laughed freely as he topped off Chase's mug with the pitcher.

Nodding his thanks, Chase accepted the refill and continued talking animatedly. "I have no idea what possessed them to do it, but he and his drinking buddies seriously broke into her garden and stole her pumpkins! And for some reason thought she'd never figure out it was them because they all covered their faces with masks. Except those were just handkerchiefs and did nothing to hide his hair!"

Both laughing, the conversation stalled until they'd calmed and Chase's mug was half empty again. Finally Mark gave his shoulder a comradely shove (a few more mugs and he'd start giving friendly shoves to other bar patrons and then Chase'd have to get them both out before the man got in some 'real men's quality time' with angry strangers), "So? What happened next? She get 'em back fer snatching her veggies?"

"Wish I knew. And pumpkins are fruits."

"Shit they are."

"No, I'm positive they are. And I've never met Verte, but from what I've heard she has less of a sense of humor than you have for picking fights you can _win_. If she wasn't pissed at Al then you might have a chance of giving Tison a black eye."

"Harsh. Real harsh."

"Ahem." Chase gave a guilty start at the peeved sounding cough, though Mark was blissfully clueless. He simply gave the greatswordsman a curious glance before scootching his chair around to see the man who'd approached their table.

"What're ye for?" he questioned the newcomer in a friendly manner. "Hey, is that pie ye've got there?"

"Pumpkin pie, to be precise," Alastor informed him amiably. _He sounds like he's in a good mood_, Chase noted nervously. "Sybelle made it, Chase lad. She wanted me to share with you."

"Really? She actually stay focused long enough to finish it?" Chase was already turning to see if the pastry had survived the whims of a fairy who normally got bored before recommended cooking times ran out. He had three seconds to see the gleam in Al's glasses before the pie was smashed into his face.

...It tasted good.

x x x

(And that should be an entry for each Halloween Chase has spent on Terca Lumireis. Sorry any Irish speakers, I relied on Google Translator, which I have an uncertain amount of faith in. Al actually tried to do something suitably festive each time, though it should be noted that he did so within a few days to within a few weeks of the actual day. And that Chase's fifth Halloween on Terca Lumireis probably falls somewhere over the course of FTaBV's events. Or not and I've done my calculations wrong. ...Ivanishgain)


	27. Omake 21: The Beat of Wings Part 3

Heyo, I'm still around and still writing, yes. This is just to let you guys know I'm not gone. I do, in fact, have a LOT of writing done but this is essentially the ONLY THING ready to be shared right now. Because everything else is still either incomplete, requires loads of editing, or is so full of spoilers you will be hopelessly confused.

So. Here's something simple.

I started with one intention but then these two went another direction.

x x x

FTaBV Omake: Beat of Wings Part 3

x x x

The two cubs didn't follow them so much as bumbled and tripped after them. Ludwig had coaxed them along the entire way by dragging peeled nia fruits behind the two humans, creating a scent trail the little eggbears found irresistible. And whenever the cubs showed signs of flagging interest he'd toss a few strips of salted jerky out. Sophia had to smile at the way he grumbled each time.

"I hope you're right about your friend. They'll never get it out of their heads that people mean food after this." But she saw perfectly well when he found a patch of wild growing berries and picked handfuls of them. And she saw how, after that, there would be berries left with the jerky bait.

"How sweet," she laughed.

"For now, maybe," he said in seriousness, mistaking her meaning. "But we shouldn't drop our guards with them. They're not accustomed to their own strength yet, and can easily damage us or the supplies just playing." He was by that point attempting to set up her tent and simultaneously keep the cubs in sight at all times. "And I sincerely hope we don't pass through the territories of other eggbears and bring adults down about our heads."

Sophia fitted together two poles of Ludwig's tent. "Well, if that happens, we can just throw the rest of the nia fruits in their faces and run." She'd managed to get one end of his tent off the ground. It was a streak of chivalry within her hired escort that made him always insist on setting up her tent. However, that first night Sophia had felt very petulant at being "brushed aside for a weak helpless woman," as she saw it. So she'd grabbed the bag with the other tent and tried to set it up on her own.

She'd still been trying by the time Ludwig had finished. He'd taken one look at her sorry attempt before turning away with a hand covering his mouth. After she'd lobbed a pine cone at his head the man began verbally instructing her, pointing out the loops and ties and where the poles threaded through them. And he'd slept in it, once she was finished.

Her goal every night had been to work at getting the process down until _she_ was the one waiting for him to finish. This might be that night, as the wrestling cubs had just rolled into the tent Ludwig was working on and collapsed it.

"And _how_," he gritted, trying to shoo away two baby monsters weighing nearly a quarter of his own weight each, "would you expect to get _these_ trouble makers away safely? Adult eggbears won't appreciate interlopers form their own species."

"Then I'd say we'd have to pick them up and carry them." Sophia mustered the most innocent eyes she could when Ludwig dropped a pole and stared at her. "I'm sure it would be good training for a swordsman."

He kept staring, brow furrowing as he tried to figure out whether she was joking. "Not necessarily for a scientist and researcher though," he settled on cautiously.

Sophia affected a sniff. "It's no question that you've obviously never seen a blastia specialist rescuing an experiment from an imminent lab explosion." She broke her straight expression when a giggle bubbled past her lips. "Oh, there was an awful one while I was in classes! Clouds of smoke everywhere, all different colors, and different _smells!_"

Ludwig cracked a smile as well. "Was this your mishap by any chance?"

"No, an old schoolmate's!" She'd abandoned the tent as the recalled memory left her helpless with giggles. "Two of them, actually. One's experiment began acting up when he wasn't around, and poor Viola had been working at a neighboring table. She didn't clear out quite fast enough, and we discovered that those two particular tests do _not_ mix well together."

"What happened? I hope she wasn't injured."

"Oh don't worry, only her pride was hurt. Once the smoke cleared we couldn't see Viola anywhere. Just the pile of equipment and notes she'd been carrying in her arms, some of it broken. But then a frog croaked and hopped out and it had that _ridiculous_ hat she liked on its head still-" she couldn't manage the rest of the story, too caught up in her helpless gales of laughter. The fro had given them all the most indignant look! _But with that felt and lace mess flopping over it's back-!_

Somehow Ludwig had retaken the lead with the tents. "How did you turn her back? You must have managed to somehow." The warrior hesitated, casting a dubious glance her way. "Don't tell me you left her in a pond somewhere."

"Someone did suggest we get her a nice aquarium and make her the department's mascot. 'Professor Durnip's Polwiggle Prodigies' he thought we should call ourselves." Ludwig choked a little and she grabbed the chance to sneakily pull out one of his stakes in the ground.

"Luckily-or _un_luckily, depending on your point of view-someone else had an idea for turning her back. It seems there's a children's fairy tale about a prince turned into a polwiggle-or a normal frog, in some versions-and the kiss of a pretty young lady turning him back. The problem up for debate-" she had to raise her voice and speak over his growing chuckles, "was that Viola was certainly not a prince, or even a boy. Did that mean it still had to be a kiss from a girl, or should we substitute in a boy?"

"Oh no..." he groaned.

"Everyone had their own hypothesis of course. Some thought it wouldn't work at all, but they were the minority. Rather than argue all day over it, we agreed it would be much more sensible to test it properly. First a girl kissed Viola, and then one of the boys."

He was shaking his head in disbelief. "How did you ever convince them to kiss a frog?"

"Oh, they volunteered!" Hadn't she tied off that rope already? She double knotted it to be sure. "When a new discovery is about to be made, who wouldn't leap at the chance to have their name attached to it?" The cubs bowled over the tent and ruined her work. "Oh dear..."

Ludwig grabbed a handful of jerky and even some cheese to toss to the other end of the campsite. The cubs scampered for the food. "Did it work?"

"Not at all." She pouted at the mess of water resistance treated canvas and poles in front of her. "But one failed test isn't conclusive proof, you have to try for different variables. Maybe they weren't pretty enough, for example. Or didn't kiss her the right way. The fairy tale mentioned something about true love, but Viola didn't have a boyfriend so we were out of luck there. To be sure, we all had to take turns kissing her. I was number eleven."

There was a _twang_ and _whump_ accompanied by a surprised grunt. Checking his way to see what had happened, Sophia saw him lying sprawled across a ruined tent, foot still tangled in one of the ropes. _Oh my!_ "Are you alright?"

"Ye-yes!" he coughed embarrassedly, face glowing red as he disentangled himself. "So...your first kiss was...with a frog?"

Wanting to have a bit of fun with it, Sophia planted her hands on her hips. "I never said it was my _first_ kiss, did I?" She winked coquettishly (or that's how she hoped she had winked) at him. He spluttered and coughed and wouldn't looker at her as his face burned scarlet.

"Viola _did_ turn back once Margaret had a turn. Though we couldn't decide if that was really the result of Margie's kiss or a time delay from on of the earlier kisses, or if the frog condition was temporary all along. Viola wasn't any help settling the matter. She said she hadn't felt any different before changing back. Are you sure you're alright?"

Ludwig had given up on the tent completely, still lying across it with his face buried in his arms. He shook his head and his muffled voice proclaimed, "I think I must revise my opinion that the strangest people all end up in guilds. They're in Aspio."

"Well of course! You don't make scientific discoveries by thinking the way people believe is _normal!_ They're made by people who aren't satisfied with the way things are, or at least with not knowing _why_ they are that way. Every great invention has a brilliant nut behind hit!"

"What, then, does that make you?" he asked, lifting his head with little trace of that blush left. "A nut unhappy with the world?"

"Hmm..." she twirled a lock of hair around a finger. "Nooo... The world isn't perfect, but I think that's part of what makes it so lovely. The same way a successful test is more exhilarating if the first tries went horribly. Working at it makes the experience...more rewarding. So I guess that makes me the nut who just wants to see how it all works!"

That was the point when the eggbear cubs realized that the very nice man who kept giving them food was unoccupied and probably lonely. They pounced on him, one sitting on his back and whuffling his hair while the other licked at his fingers with a long pink tongue. Sophia cooed happily at the "Papa Bear and his little ones" before fetching some food out of her own ration bag to lure them away.

It got dark long before they ever finished setting the tents up. Giving it up, they slept under the open sky on the groundcloths, back to back for warmth and security. The eggbears snuggled in under Ludwig's arm and curled against his legs in the night.

x x x

Sophia does strange things. In the name of SCIENCE!


End file.
